HJ0043 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0043 LRB097 13725 KXB 58272 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly are saddened to learn of the death of Mary Jo Arndt of Lombard, who passed away on September 24, 2011; and

WHEREAS, She was a 1951 graduate of Glenbard West High School and a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a B.S. in Education; she was a former teacher in Villa Park and Urbana; she had been a newspaper columnist; and she was the managing partner and hospital administrator of the Lombard Veterinary Hospital with her husband; together, they established the Lombard Veterinary Hospital in 1959; and

WHEREAS, She was an integral part of the York Township Republican Women's Organization for 45 years and served as a former Republican national committeewoman for Illinois; she served as past president of the National Federation of Republican Women; she was a pioneer in efforts to increase opportunities for women in politics, government, and education; in addition, she founded the Illinois Republican Women's Roundtable in 1989, established the Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Series, conducted many seminars on various facets of political organization and party structure, and lent her skills to campaign efforts in almost every county in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, She served as publicity chairperson for the Lombard Minutemen, was a Girl Scout leader, executive secretary for the Lombard Lilac Parade Committee, a Rotary Ann,and was actively involved with the Maple Street Chapel Preservation Society, the YWCA, and the Lombard Chamber of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, President Ronald Reagan appointed her to be a member of the President's Commission on White House Fellowships and she was reappointed by President Bush; she served as a member of the Republican National Committee for Illinois from 1988 to 2008 and was elected to the RNC Executive Committee representing the Midwestern Region from 2005 to 2008; she was the chairman of the Illinois Women for McCain campaign and was a member of the McCain National Hispanic Outreach Team; and

WHEREAS, She recently completed 6 years on the board of directors of American Women for International Understanding and was a member and adviser of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois; she was a member of the Xilin Asian Association Board of Directors; she was twice elected by the primary voters of the 6th Congressional District as their State central committeeman, in 1982 and 1986; and

WHEREAS, In 2008, she was elected vice chair emeritus of the Illinois Republican State Committee, she was a member of the Illinois Governor's Commission on the Status of Women; she served on the Working Group on Balancing Work and Family; she represented President Bush as an observer of the Romanian elections in May of 1990; and

WHEREAS, She had a U.S. Senate confirmed appointment to the National Advisory Council on Women's Education Programs during the Reagan Administration, where she served as chairman of the Women's Educational Equity Act Committee; she was a member of the Advisory Committee to the Illinois State Superintendent of Schools; she also served on the Illinois Commission for the Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment; and

WHEREAS, Today's Chicago Woman twice named Mrs. Arndt a "Power Personality", a woman making a difference in Chicagoland's business and social environment; she served as a member of the U.S. Small Business Administration National Advisory Council from 2001 to 2007 and was selected by the Foundation for Women's Resources as one of 100 women to participate in Leadership America; she was a member of the National Board of Directors of Leadership America from 2001 to 2006, and was a member of the Advisory Board of Leadership Illinois and of Save the Patient; the Gallup Organization selected her as a "Visionary Leader for the 21st Century" and awarded her a full scholarship to the Gallup Leadership Institute; and

WHEREAS, Mary Jo Arndt is survived by her husband, Dr. Paul W., DVM; her daughters, Dr. Kristi L. Arndt, Ph.D., DVM, Kerri A. (Russell) Roselli, and Dr. Georgianne, DVM (Gregory) Ludwig; her grandchildren, Gregory R. Ludwig, Phillip P. Roselli, Graceanne N. Ludwig, and Kaleigh A. Roselli; her cousin, Betty Bussema; and many other relatives, friends, and pets; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Mary Jo Arndt; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Mary Jo Arndt as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.