Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

PASSAGES Judy Baar Topinka dies
2014-12-10

This article shared 8967 times since Wed Dec 10, 2014
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Just weeks after being re-elected into her post by Illinois voters, State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka passed away from complications following a stroke Dec. 10.

"The Illinois political scene lost its Polka Queen last night and I lost a friend," said Sen. Dick Durbin in a statement. "In a political world of cocker spaniels she could be a bulldog taking a bite out of both Democrats and right-wing Republicans without missing a beat. She was a blue-collar, immigrants' kid who lit up the room with her quick wit and boundless energy."

Long a major player in state politics, Topinka held several offices, among them state treasurer, state representative and state senator. She made an unsuccessful bid to be governor in 2006, losing to Democratic candidate Rod Blagojevich. Last month, she defeated Lt. Governor Sheila Simon's bid for her office.

Calling Topinka a "legend in Illinois politics," Simon said in a Dec. 10 statement, "I am deeply saddened to hear of Judy Baar Topinka's passing. People throughout Illinois will remember her for her many years of dedication to public service just as much as they will remember her for her larger than life personality. She truly loved the people of this state."

Topinka's office had the difficult task of paying the state's bills while the state was in a perpetual state of financial disarray. She was known for her brassiness and practicality, and her directness resonated with voters from both parties.

She was both a fiscal conservative and a social moderate. Shortly before her re-election, Topinka told Windy City Times, "I'm a Republican because I think the Republican Party stands for small government. I don't like government spawning all over. The more bureaucracy you have, the harder it is to navigate and the more miserable it is for the public, and the more costly it is. I like the fiscal end of it. I like to make sure we get what we paid for and that it's well handled."

She nevertheless butted heads with Republican colleagues on numerous occasions, often because of social issues such as abortion and gay rights. She supported gay marriage—memorably offering to be "flower girl" at gay weddings the evening Gov. Pat Quinn signed marriage equality legislation into law—and spoke at the 2013 March on Springfield for Marriage Equality. Topinka also marched in numerous LGBT Pride parades and took part in other LGBT events.

"I've always been a social moderate and I make no bones about it," Topinka said. "I voted for the Equal Rights Amendment when I was in the legislature, gay rights—I could never understand what the problem was with gay rights. Jeepers, gay people are people. There's rights under the constitution, everybody's supposed to have them, and it bugs me when folks pick on gays or anybody else. I have a lot of gay people working in my office; they're wonderful employees. We don't single them out, or anything; they're just part of the family.

"If you're a constitutional officer, theoretically you've got some status and you serve as somewhat of a role model," she added. "I know I've always tried to live my life as somewhat of a role model. When I get that bully pulpit going, I'm out there in the forefront. I [supported] civil unions and marriage equality, and I don't want to see gay people harassed in any capacity, because that's not fair. I'll get down and fight for that cause, because I believe in what's fair."

Numerous other politicians and activists also issued statements Dec. 10 remembering Topinka and praising her career.

Springfield Alderman Cory Jobe, who is Deputy Chief of Staff in the Comptroller's Office, said on Facebook, "Today Illinois lost a true public servant with a heart bigger than the State. Judy Baar Topinka was a friend, boss, and political mentor. She always believed in me and my political career as a local public official. She will be greatly missed by many."

Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov elaborated on Topinka's commitment to LGBT rights: "As a Republican statewide officeholder, Comptroller Topinka was a leader in supporting issues important to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Illinoisans and demonstrating that equality and fairness were bipartisan concerns. … When Equality Illinois held its regular lobbying days in Springfield, Topinka and her office opened their doors to the delegation to make them feel that the Capitol was truly our home, too."

LGBT rights activist Rick Garcia said, "Judy Baar Topinka stood out in the Republican party as a consistent and firm supporter of gay rights. Even when attacked by members of her own party for her gay-rights support she never wavered. … Illinois has strong civil-rights protections for gay people including marriage rights and Topinka played a pivotal role in that. During the marriage debate in the House Topinka was on the floor working every Republican member to squeeze out every necessary vote."

Recalling his years in the Illinois Statehouse, President Obama said Topinka "was a fierce advocate for her constituents, which I got to see firsthand when she was State Treasurer—the first woman to hold that office. She was blunt, pragmatic, unfailingly cheerful and energetic, and always willing to put politics aside to find commonsense solutions that made a difference for the people of Illinois. She will be greatly missed."

"Early this morning, Illinois lost one of its all-time greats," added Governor-elect Bruce Rauner. "Comptroller Topinka's magnetic, one-of-a-kind personality brought a smile to everyone she met, and she had a servant's heart, always only caring about what was best for the people of our state. Judy was a tremendous friend, and Diana and I will miss her deeply. We offer our heartfelt condolences and prayers to her family, including son Joseph, as well as her talented and loyal team in the Comptroller's office."

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, "Judy had a passion for serving the people of Illinois that equaled her passion for life. For more than three decades, she brought a relentless work ethic, a determination to attack our state's fiscal challenges, and a sense of humor and smile that brightened the day of anyone in her path. As the first woman to serve as Illinois Treasurer, she will always have a special place in the history of our state."

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle called Topinka"truly one of a kind" in a statement. "I admired her feisty, outspoken nature and her passion for good government. She had a track record of standing up for what she believed in, regardless of party lines. As the first woman to be elected treasurer in Illinois, she was also a pioneer and an inspiration for other women in public service."

Chicago Urban League president and CEO Andrea Zopp shared Preckwinkle's sentiment: "Topinka was and will remain an inspiration to all women who aspire to lead and will be remembered for her humor, wit, and her support of equality and fairness for all communities. In an era where polarizing partisanship often rules the day, Judy Baar Topinka's indomitable spirit and down to earth approach empowered to cross party lines and have a significant impact of the lives of the people of Illinois."

Gov. Pat Quinn said he was "heartbroken" over Topinka's death, adding, "Never without her signature sense of humor, Judy was a force of nature. She left her mark on the state she has called home her entire life. Her leadership improved Illinois and paved the way for countless women in politics."


This article shared 8967 times since Wed Dec 10, 2014
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

PASSAGES Dorothy Elizabeth McGroarty 2024-03-14
- Dorothy Elizabeth McGroarty, 82, of The Breakers at Edgewater Beach, and a former resident of Andersonville, passed away Feb. 16 surrounded by her loving family. Born in Dearborn, Michigan, Dorothy was raised on Chicago's South and ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Bryan Dean Wilson 2024-03-14
- Bryan Dean Wilson, 64, of Chicago, passed away March 11. Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bryan graduated from Washington High school in Cedar Rapids before earning his B.S. in Biology from Mount Mercy University, also in ...


Gay News

PASSAGES: Former Chicago Commission on Human Relations chair Clarence Wood 2024-03-13
- LGBTQ ally and former Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR) Chair and Commissioner Clarence N. Wood died March 5. He was 83. Wood was born April 14, 1940, in Alabama. While primarily raised in Alabama, Wood ...


Gay News

Longtime LGBTQ+-rights activist David Mixner dies at 77 2024-03-12
- On March 11, longtime LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS activist David Mixner—known for working on Bill Clinton's presidential campaign but then splitting from him over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT)—died at age 77, The Advocate reported. ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund remembers co-founder David Mixner 2024-03-12
--From a press release - Today, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund President & CEO Mayor Annise Parker released the following statement on the passing of LGBTQ+ civil rights activist and LGBTQ+ Victory Fund co-founder David Mixner: "Today, we lost David Mixner, a founding ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Charles R. Tobin 2024-03-03
- Charles R. Tobin, 81, peacefully passed away on Dec. 23, 2023, in the company of his husband, after living with Lewey body dementia for several years. Charlie was born and raised in the Fernwood neighborhood on ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Trailblazing judge and attorney Patricia M. Logue passes away 2024-02-26
- The Honorable Patricia Logue ("Pat" to her friends, Trish" to her family) was a brilliant lawyer, a trailblazing jurist and a hero to the LGBTQ community. Pat's legacy includes numerous landmark cases she litigated over her ...


Gay News

Oklahoma non-binary student dies after being assaulted 2024-02-21
- Officials acknowledged there are unresolved questions about a 16-year-old non-binary Oklahoma student who died one day after a fight in a high school bathroom, NBC News noted. Chuck Hoskin Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, ...


Gay News

GLAAD remembers Cecilia Gentili, transgender Latina, actress, activist, health care activist, journalist 2024-02-06
--From a press release - (New York, NY - February 6, 2024) GLAAD, the world's largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, is responding to the death of transgender actress and advocate Cecilia Gentili and elevating voices of transgender and political leaders honoring ...


Gay News

More information emerges about death on Atlantis gay cruise 2024-02-04
By Lu Calzada - Further details have emerged following the death of a Chicago man on a Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas Atlantis cruise targeted towards gay men. Following a Reddit post by the man's sister — which has ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Imperial Court's Scott Archer remembered as selfless, devoted 2024-02-04
By Alec Karam - As the old saying goes, we all have an angel on one shoulder, and a devil on the other. Well, Scott Archer was all angel, his best friend Herman Coen believes. "Everybody wanted to talk to Scott, because Scott was Scott," ...


Gay News

Broadway star Chita Rivera dies at 91 2024-01-30
- Chita Rivera—a Broadway legend with more than seven decades of credits—has died at age 91 after a short illness, People Magazine reported. "It is with immense personal sorrow that I announce the death of the beloved ...


Gay News

PASSSAGES Chef Michael Thomas Zito 2024-01-02
- Chef Michael Thomas Zito, 55, ("Chef Bear Italia" and "Big Chef") passed away December 12, 2023, unexpectedly at home in Chicago's Belmont Gardens neighborhood. Born in Kentucky to Pentecostal missionaries from New York, Mike began cooking ...


Gay News

Gay political trailblazer Ken Sherrill passes away at age 81 2023-12-30
- Kenneth Sherrill—a pioneering political scientist who was also the first out gay elected official in New York history—died in early December at age 81 from surgical complications, Gay City News reported. He is survived by his ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Paris Johnson 2023-12-29
- Paris Johnson, 29, of Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, passed away unexpectedly Nov. 28. He would have celebrated his 30th birthday Dec. 20. Born into a military family in Sacramento, California, Paris moved often in his youth, ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.