Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka died today.
She was 70 years old.
Illinois State Treasurer Judy Baar Topink was greeted by Republican Party Chairman Sandy Salgado when she arrived at the fall fund raiser. State Senator Dan Duffy and Topinka aide Rich Carter can be seen in the background.
This fall, she was the featured speaker at the McHenry County Republican Central Committee’s fundraiser.
Topinka sat while delivering a stem-winding speech near the end of the event.
I remember Judy’s first year in the Illinois House of Representatives. That was 1981.
She was determined to get a sewer for her hometown of Berwyn. She was willing to vote as House Speaker George Ryan wanted in order to obtain the infrastructure improvement.
She accomplished her goal.
Subsequently, she served as a State Senate, State Treasurer, ran for Governor against Rod Blagojevich the second time around and, in a successful comeback, was elected State Comptroller. She was just re-elected.
Topinka carried McHenry County handily, trouncing Democrat Sheila Simon.
The 2014 fall election results in McHenry County for State Comptroller.
I loved how she stayed true to herself which is so very rare in this day of political correctness
She was a class act all the way.
Judy will be sorely missed a statesperson not a politician.
I knew here from my days working with Pate Phillips and Lee Daniels.
She stood apart then and will be forever a be a model of good government.
May God Bless her and her loved ones.