Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka, a trailblazer in state politics renowned for her sense of humor and straight talk, is remembered fondly throughout Kane County following the news of her death early Wednesday morning due to complications from a stroke.

Topinka visited Kane County early and often during her many campaigns for public office. She was a state senator for a decade, Illinois treasurer from 1995 to 2007 —the first woman to serve in that office — and in 2006 was the first Republican woman to be nominated for governor.

In November of this year, at age 70, she was re-elected to her second term as comptroller and won handily in Kane County, where she garnered almost 57 percent of the vote, according to Kane County Clerk’s Office General Election contest results.

County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen, who served alongside Topinka in the state Senate 20 years ago, remembered his former colleague.

“I always appreciated her journalism background, her sense of humor and her commitment to public service,” he said. “I admired her so much, and I certainly respected her. She was plenty tough.”

Lauzen said he and Topinka didn’t spend time together socially, but when they did see each other, they talked about their Scottie dogs and their children. Lauzen and his wife, Sarah, are parents of four boys: Ted, Elliot, Hans and Rob. Topinka is survived by her son, Joseph.

“Another thing that is so much to her credit is winning a General Election in Illinois as a Republican at a time when that was a rarity in Illinois politics,” Lauzen said. “It showed she had a broad range of appeal, and I think her strength in campaigning was that she could relate to so many different people.”

Topinka, Lauzen recalled, lived up to Tom Waits’ quote about a gentlewoman — “someone who can play the accordion, but doesn’t.”

A Chicago Tribune story notes that Topinka played the piano, guitar and the accordion and once said she would “polka with anyone, anytime.” Story after story Wednesday noted her down-to-earth style, common-sense approach and friend-of-the-people point of view — qualities that made her so popular and successful at grassroots Illinois politics.

“She was respected by so many, ” Lauzen said, “but for Czechs on the Northwest Side and her many friends in the Polish community, she was like a rock star.”

Do you have an anecdote or personal memory to share about Judy Baar Topinka? Email Outreach Coordinator Rick Nagel at nagelrick@co.kane.il.us.

Read More

• Sun-Times:  Judy Baar Topinka dies early Wednesday after stroke
• Carol Marin: Judy Baar Topinka worked in a no-BS zone
• Chicago Tribune: Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka dies at age 70
• Daily Herald: Judy Baar Topinka remembered as good-humored truth-teller