"She was very dogged in that campaign,'' Williams said. "And ended up being victorious. She broke that glass ceiling.''

Martz's spirituality struck Chuck Butler, who worked for her when she was governor and had stayed in close contact.

Butler first met Martz 30 years ago during one of the Governor's Cups sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, where he then worked. The event the night before the race honored all known Olympic athletes in Montana, and Butler and Martz hit it off immediately.

When Martz became governor, she stepped into a difficult time, Butler said. The state was facing a $230 million deficit and she inherited the fallout from utility deregulation that passed in 1997.

She was “really struggling” at the start of her four years in office, Butler said. That’s when he retired from Blue Cross and started working for her.

“I got to know her deeply, personally, her inner faith and strength,” Butler said.

He said she was terribly hurt by the criticism she received over cuts she had to make as governor, implementing a state law that allows the governor to cut up to 10 percent of agency budgets to balance the state's finances. Gov. Steve Bullock is facing the same situation now.