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* Back in the day, I used to run a weekly feature on this little website called “Friday Topinka Blogging.” It was basically just a silly photo of Judy Baar Topinka designed to poke the online trolls who hated her so much.

I was thinking about how much fun those posts were because today is the fifth anniversary of JBT’s death. So, I went looking for some other pics.

She was an animal lover…

Unafraid to show affection…

Gregarious…

Did not suffer fools…

Mischievous…

And had a great smile…

RIP JBT.

…Adding… From a 2013 marriage equality rally…

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:14 pm

Comments

Lord only know how different the last five years would’ve been if He didn’t decide He needed her more up there.

Comment by fs Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:17 pm
Illinois would have been so much better off if she was elected Governor in 2006. Wonderful person.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:20 pm
Still a devastating loss

Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:21 pm
Judy was always a treat to be around. There will never be another politician like her.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:22 pm
Anonymous 2:20 - What were we thinkin’?

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:23 pm
Wonderful pictures. It would be great to read a summary of 2-3 of her policy accomplishments from her ~20 years in public service.

Comment by Quibbler Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:25 pm
What a great lady and a wonderful character. She’s greatly missed.

Comment by Tony DeKalb Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:25 pm
===It would be great to read===

Google is your friend.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:31 pm
Great lady! Blago did her in with the continual playing of Judy dancing with Governor Ryan. Too bad! We know how Blago turned out.

Comment by "Old Timer Dem" Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:39 pm
- Quibbler -

Judy Baar Topinka? Her legacy is in these past five years, this state missed her being around unlike any other pol I can think of, and in these five years, how often did I think about all that made her special;

She spoke from the heart, her public words came from the right place.

She gave credit to others, deflecting her own important role often.

She talked and praised cooperation.

She reminded us all it’s about accomplishing something, not scoring debate points.

She talked about doing the *right* thing, even when others saw that as only the hard thing.

She used humor.

She was brutally honest about failings, something missing in today’s governing.

She laughed. She was a cheerleader. She was reflective. She was genuine. It’s rare to find.

She worked and made things better, fought the good fights, was fiercely partisan and loved this state unconditionally.

She was a giant. She can’t be replaced.

Rest easy, JBT

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:44 pm
Simply the Best… and so missed. Have no doubt that she’s still stirring things up from above!

Comment by Lake Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:45 pm
Wonderful lady and a force of nature to be sure. Truly one of a kind.

Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:47 pm
WWJBTD?

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:53 pm
Always hated the fact that the Illinois Education Association endorsed Blagojevich over Topinka in 2006 and then awarded her the a “Friend of Education” honor posthumously. Go figure.

Comment by Practical Politics Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:55 pm
Six Degrees of Separation

“What were we thinkin’?”

It was the 6th year of a GOP Presidency, a Presidency so unpopular the Democrats took both houses of Congress. In Illinois, there was a credible third party candidate (who got 10.4% of the vote). There was that silly video of JBT dancing with George Homer Ryan. And, yet, Blagojevich still won with a plurality, not a majority - 49.8%. Some people were thinking right, but the national tide was too strong to overcome.

Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 2:58 pm
If you will allow …

I work on the fringes of politics so I occasionally find a candidate I like and send some money. I have donated to both parties mostly because I like the candidate a person and like what they are doing or plan to do. as a result of one of these donations I got on a JBT call list. I received a call from one her campaign folks and since I liked her I said I would send in some money. (Hundreds not thousands) In the course of the conversation I said I had some ideas for her campaign and hopefully her administration. The staffer said hold on and 15 seconds later JBT is on the phone asking for my ideas. I gave her my thoughts and I swear to God she listened. Not a BS yes, yes, yes but she engaged and asked follow up questions. We probably spoke for no more than 10 minutes but from that point on I was a big fan.

God rest her soul.

Comment by What's in a name? Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 3:03 pm
The finest example of “my Father’s Republican party”. I really miss her, and that by-gone version of the Republican party.

Comment by Groundhog Day Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 3:05 pm
A great person, sorely missed.

Comment by downstateR Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 3:05 pm
Miss that lady especially during these times. Judy called a spade a spade. Hurts to think how different it would have been if…well you know.

Comment by Nearly Normal Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 3:08 pm
The best. Simply the best.

Comment by DIstant watcher Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 3:09 pm
RIP JBT. She was really missed during the Rauner era.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 3:15 pm
Judy was a friend of mine. We knew each other for a very long time. She is missed as a friend, and a state leader. Illinois is a much different place because she is gone.

Comment by Retired Educator Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 3:32 pm
She would not recognize the Republican Party today. I wish she was still around and that more people were like her.

Comment by Anon E Moose Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 3:35 pm
I had the honor of meeting her my senior year of high school at a VFW scholarship dinner. It was in a small town south of Springfield but I remember her speech and how important it was to all of the old timers there to have her in that room with us. She was frank, she was straightforward, but most of all she was kind. She spoke to all of us individually afterward. Sorry for rambling, but she was one of the few politicians that I’ve met that when speaking with, you know she heard you and was there in that moment. We could do with more of that today.

Comment by Fixer Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 3:53 pm
I once won a pizza party for my 4th grade class because Judy Baar Topinka drew my name out of a hat. I was a pretty popular kid that day and for that, I thank JBT.

Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 4:35 pm
=In the course of the conversation I said I had some ideas for her campaign and hopefully her administration. The staffer said hold on and 15 seconds later JBT is on the phone asking for my ideas. I gave her my thoughts and I swear to God she listened=

That’s really telling. What struck me is that not only did JBT get on the phone and listen, but that her staffer knew that she would want to do that, right then and there. No “send us a letter” BS.

That says a lot.

Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 4:53 pm
Thank you Rich, I enjoyed this post and the comments.

It truly made my day.

I hope one day someone comes along who can be our next JBT.

Comment by Winderweezle Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 4:56 pm
My favorite moments were her at Pride. It drove the trolls absolutely crazy, but she was just having fun.

Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 5:10 pm
JBT once sent my Grandmother a birthday card simply because I asked her to. She immediately took her information down and sent her a hand written note.

Comment by SuburbanRepublican Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 5:12 pm
JBT was truly one of a kind. She is so missed. We are better people just by knowing her.

Comment by Illinilaw Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 6:55 pm
I remember her from her newspaper days and was surprised when she went into politics. But she turned out to be a great one.

Comment by IT Guy Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 7:13 pm
She was one of the people elected to the General Assembly prior to the cutback amendment. Back then you could be independent of the party regulars and get elected.

Comment by Facts Matter Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 7:45 pm
Thanks, Rich, for remembering JBT on this day. It’s a chance for all of us to reflect on how much of an impact a good, authentic public servant can have.

Comment by dr. reason a. goodwin Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 8:39 pm
She was one of the few republicans that I ever voted for. She brought us together.

Comment by Union Thug Gramma Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 8:55 pm
One of the true great honest Republicans with true Republican ideals.

Comment by JohninChicago Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 9:30 pm
Thanks for posting this, Rich. Made my day.

Comment by GOPJay Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 10:06 pm
God Bless Judy. We all thought we’d have more time with her. Cherish the time we did have with her. Following her around the GOP convention in New York in ‘04 - I don’t think any other party leader could have handled the Alan Keyes candidacy as diplomatically as she did. Her spirit lives on here. Great photos, Rich.

Comment by Abdon Tuesday, Dec 10, 19 @ 10:09 pm
Perhaps you need a refresher on how Google works, Quibbler. Type “Judy Baar Topinka” and “legislative accomplishments” into Google, and, voila!: “…passing a diverse array of legislation ranging from requiring employees at a physical fitness center to be certified in CPR to defining ethical standards for physicians to better protect citizens from medical malpractice … created Illinois’ Bank at School … helped create and
retain more than 13,000 new jobs through an innovative linked deposits program, and developed the nation’s largest agriculture loan program for farmers … http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=88&GA=99&DocTypeId=SR&DocNum=93&GAID=13&LegID=84675&SpecSess=&Session=

Comment by Abdon Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 7:18 am
She enjoyed life.

Comment by Wonderful World Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 8:33 am
I am a life long Democrat, but I voted for Judy each time
she ran for office. Illinois was better off for her and she is terribly missed.

Comment by Tired Teacher Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 8:42 am
Hello Mr. Miller. You may wish to post www.judybaartopinka if you choose to do so. Your call.

Joseph Baar Topinka

Comment by Joseph Baar Topinka Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 9:27 am
Sorry Mr. Miller. I believe I forgot to post with the full website. I left out the .org.

www.judybaartopinka.org

Joseph Baar Topinka

Comment by Joseph Baar Topinka Wednesday, Dec 11, 19 @ 11:01 am