Former Rep. Karen McCarthy died Tuesday at age 63, the Associated Press reported.

The Missouri Democrat had Alzheimer’s disease and died in a Kansas nursing home.

McCarthy was a high school English teacher before she was elected to the Missouri House in 1976. She was elected to Congress in 1994 to represent the Kansas City area and retired in 2005.

She was accused in 2003 of using campaign funds for personal gain and retired under pressure. The House ethics committee found that McCarthy misused campaign funds for a trip to a Grammy Awards ceremony in 2003, but it decided against initiating formal disciplinary proceedings.

Robert Kalkofen, manager of McGilley Midtown Chapel in Kansas City, confirmed McCarthy’s death to the AP. She was single and had no children.