OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
January 21, 2015
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith, together with City Clerk Susana A. Mendoza, a resolution honoring the life and memory of Judy Barr Topinka.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
; t
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Members of this Chamber were deeply saddened to learn ofthe death on December 10, 2014, at age 70, of Judy Baar Topinka, a longtime member ofthe Illinois General Assembly, a Chair ofthe Illinois Republican Party, the first woman to be elected as Illinois Treasurer, and the recently re-elected Comptroller ofthe Stale oflllinois; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Topinka was born on January 16, 1944 to Lillian Mary and William D. Baar, the children of Czech and Slovak immigrants. Her parents owned a small real estate business in Riverside, Illinois, the western suburb that Ms. Topinka called home. From a very young age, Ms. Topinka was taught the importance of hard work, self-sacrifice and fiscal prudence; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Topinka graduated in 1962 from Ferry Hall School in Lake Forest, Illinois. She earned a bachelor of science degree in 1966 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. In college, Ms. Topinka was a member ofthe Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. An accomplished musician, she played four instruments, and she fluently spoke English, Czech, Spanish and Polish. Later in life Ms. Topinka was named by her sorority's national chapter as one of its three "Outstanding Citizens"; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from college, Ms. Topinka worked for eleven years as a reporter for several award-winning community newspapers, rising through the ranks to become an editor. She also founded her own public relations firm; served as a public affairs executive for the American Medical Association; and became a public relations advisor to a number of local political candi...
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