Kay Bailey Hutchison - Early Life

Early Life

Hutchison was born Kathryn Ann Bailey in Galveston, the daughter of Kathryn Ella (née Sharp) and Allan Abner Bailey, Jr., an insurance agent. She has two brothers, Allan and Frank. Hutchison grew up in La Marque, Texas.

She married her first husband, John Pierce Parks, a medical student, on April 8, 1967 (age 23); they divorced in 1969. She married her present (second) husband, Ray Hutchison, in Dallas on March 16, 1978 (age 34). They have two adopted children: Kathryn Bailey and Houston Taylor, both adopted in 2001. She also has two stepdaughters, Brenda and Julie, from her husband's previous marriage. Ray Hutchison is a former member of the Texas Legislature, a former state Republican chairman, and ran an unsuccessful bid for the Texas governorship, having lost the Republican nomination in 1978 to Bill Clements, a senior partner with the law firm of Vinson & Elkins, of Dallas.

Hutchison and her family have their primary residence in Dallas, where her children attend school. She has a second house in Virginia, where she lives when the Senate is in session. In August 2009 she put her Virginia house up for sale, and her campaign stated, "She's no longer going to be in the United States Senate. She's coming home to Texas. That's why it's for sale." She has also purchased a house in Nacogdoches, Texas. She is a supporter of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation where she is an honorary board member.

She received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1962 (age 19). She was also a sister of the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity. She received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1967 (age 24). Following her graduation from law school, she was the legal and political correspondent for KPRC-TV in Houston. Hired by Ray Miller, host of the long-running The Eyes of Texas anthology series, Hutchison was the first onscreen newswoman in Texas.