Former Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell has died after a brief illness, her family announced.

She was 78 years old and died at a Florida hospital on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

Rell was Connecticut's 87th governor, serving from 2004 until 2011.

She was the state's last Republican governor and only the second female leader in state history.

Rell became governor in 2004 after then-Gov. John Rowland resigned amidst a corruption scandal that led to him serving time in prison.

"One of the big things, I think, that Jodi Rell did while she was governor is, you know, heal the state from the former governor and the corruption. She implemented things like the clean election laws," says Gayle Alberda, Fairfield University professor.

Although some called her the accidental governor, Rell won reelection and enjoyed historically high approval ratings.

Prior to becoming governor, Rell served as lieutenant governor for 10 years and was a member of the state House of Representatives for 10 years, representing Brookfield and Bethel.

Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days, according to her family.

Gov. Ned Lamont has ordered all flags to be lowered to half-staff.

Lamont called her a trailblazing leader.