Funeral services were held Thursday for Vervene Leone "Vee" Carlisle, 90, a former Utah legislator and well-known Utah advocate for women's rights. She died Sunday.

Born April 23, 1917, and raised in Salt Lake City, Ms. Carlisle graduated from Granite High School. After the death of her father when she was 17 years old, Ms. Carlisle became the sole provider for her mother and five younger siblings.

In 1964, Ms. Carlisle joined the U.S. Foreign Service and worked in Bermuda, the Philippines and Italy. She was appointed by the governor in 1971 to fill an opening in the Utah House of Representatives. She served in the Legislature for six years, where she argued for affirmative action and environmental legislation.

During the 1980s, Ms. Carlisle developed a section for women's banking at Tracy-Collins Bank & Trust. She was known to her friends, colleagues and associates as an advocate for communities, neighborhoods, women's rights and historic preservation.

She received numerous honors throughout her life and career, including Utah's Most Admired Women's Award, a Woman of Achievement Award and a Distinguished Woman Award from the University of Utah.

Ms. Carlisle served on numerous boards, guilds and committees, including the Women in Business Committee, Ballet Guild, League of Utah Consumers, the Utah Heritage Foundation and the advisory board for the School of Social Work at the University of Utah and the Salt Lake Area chamber of Commerce.

Beverly White, a former legislator for Tooele County, said Ms. Carlisle loved the community and worked to make situations better for women and the community as a whole.

"She dedicated herself to community, state and country and was a pioneer in women's rights," White said. "She was a Democrat through and through until the day she died."