Many are giving pause to pay respect to Illinois State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. Her service to the State of Illinois spanned more than three decades in various roles, including the Illinois Senate, the Treasurer's Office and of course her current position of comptroller which she was reelected to last month.
But she was also a pioneer of sorts, being the first woman to serve in the Treasurer's Office. She's been described as witty, tough, and driven. Topinka began her career as a news reporter, and was also the keynote speaker at the last Illinois News Broadcasters Association Convention held in Peoria last spring.
In fact she regularly visited the Peoria area in her travels through out the state. The brief slide show with this post includes pictures of Topkina on a couple of what turned to be her last trips to River City.
Judy BaarTopinka died overnight after having a stroke. She was 70.