On January 16, 1941, a young girl was born in Chicago, Illinois. No one realized that this lady would capture the hearts and minds of people all over the State of Illinois. Judy Baar Topinka loved the Village of Riverside in which she spent her entire life, but she loved every county, township, city, village, and town in Illinois.
Judy had an incredible personality and the ability to embrace new ideas and new perspectives for the good of everyone in Illinois.
While there are often so many negative things being said in the media today about government and politics, you all may enjoy this video with WGN’s very own Bob Sirott and his wife Marianne Murciano taken at Judy’s home in Riverside, Illinois in 2004. It is funny and loving and will bring you a smile on Judy’s Day!
The book, Just Judy, A Citizen and Leader for Illinois, tries to bring out that same Judy personality with an eye toward teaching young and old alike about civics, especially Illinois civics.