Elizabeth P. Hoisington died of congestive heart failure at age 88 in Springfield, Virginia.
Elizabeth P. Hoisington died on August 21, 2007, at the age of 88, of congestive heart failure at an assisted-living facility in Springfield, Virginia.
Her death closed the chapter on a life that had fundamentally reshaped the role of women in the United States military. From her enlistment in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in 1942, through her distinguished World War II service in Europe, her leadership as Director of the Women's Army Corps, and her historic 1970 promotion to brigadier general alongside Anna Mae Hays, Hoisington's career opened doors for generations of women who followed her into military leadership.
Obituaries in major publications, including the Los Angeles Times, recognized her as one of the first two women generals in United States military history, a distinction that placed her permanently in the historical record of American military and women's history. Her legacy has been further honored posthumously, including through the establishment of the Elizabeth P. Hoisington Distinguished Alumna Award at Notre Dame of Maryland University in 2010, ensuring that her example of service and barrier-breaking leadership continues to inspire new generations.