Hon. Mary Evelyn Wood, Cert. Hon.

Hon. Mary Evelyn Wood, Cert. Hon.. (November 20, 1900 - May 16, 1978). Dedication and selfless service were her hallmarks. A true pioneer, she devoted her life to positive change for these Islands and in particular the advancement of women's rights., She was the first woman elected to the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly and the first to serve on a jury., In her early 20s, she started a small school in her father's home, serving as the sole teacher., Several years later, after training as a practical nurse, she changed vocations. Her most notable service as a nurse was during the typhoid epidemic of the late 1930s when she provided tireless care to households across the Cayman Islands., In 1957 she joined hundreds of other women in signing the petition which resulted in the passage of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Law, 1957 which granted women the right to vote and to stand for public office., In 1962 she was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly representing the district of Bodden Town., Declared a National Hero in 2011.