MARY JO ARNDT, nee Larsen, age 78, of Lombard 62 years, died September 24 at Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, Illinois.
Visitation will be held Monday, October 3 from 2 to 8 PM at the Maple Street Chapel, corner of Main and Maple Streets, Lombard.
Funeral Service will be held Tuesday, October 4 at 11:30 AM at the First Church of Lombard, Main Street Sanctuary, 220 South Main Street, Lombard.
Interment Private at Chapel Hill Gardens West.
Mrs. Arndt is survived by her husband, Dr. Paul W., D.V.M.; three daughters, Dr. Kristi L. Arndt, PhD., D.V.M. of Lombard, Kerri A. (Russell) Roselli of Rolling Meadows, and Dr. Georgianne, D.V.M. (Gregory) Ludwig of Lombard; four grandchildren, Gregory R. Ludwig of Lombard, Phillip P. Roselli of Rolling Meadows, Graceanne N. Ludwig of Lombard, and Kaleigh A. Roselli of Rolling Meadows; her cousin, Betty Bussema of Arizona; many other relatives, many friends, and many pets.
Mrs. Arndt was a 1951 graduate of Glenbard West High School and a graduate of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois with a B.S. in Education. She was a former teacher having taught fourth and fifth grades in Villa Park and Urbana. Mrs. Arndt had been a newspaper columnist and was the managing partner and hospital administrator of the Lombard Veterinary Hospital with her husband, Dr. Paul. They established the Lombard Veterinary Hospital in 1959 and it is one of the largest single-family-owned small animal medical centers in Illinois.
President of the Village of Lombard, William J. Mueller, proclaimed September 24, 2010 as MARY JO ARNDT DAY in the Village of Lombard in honor of
- her many years of dedicated service and contributions to the community including Mary Jo’s being an integral part of the York Township Republican Women’s Organization for 45 years and serving as a former Republican National Committeewoman for Illinois;
- serving as past president of the National Federation of Republican Women and a pioneer in efforts to increase opportunities for women in politics, government and education;
- founding the Illinois Republican Women’s Roundtable in 1989 whichbroadened the party’s reach into new communities of women; and through the Roundtable, establishing the Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Series which annually awards 10 to 15 fellowships to women to study government and politics;
- the many seminars she conducted on various facets of political organization and party structure and her campaign efforts in almost every county in Illinois;
- and her service as Publicity Chairperson for the Lombard Minuteman, a group that raised $40,000 to build a log cabin at Four Seasons Park as part of Lombard’s Bicentennial;
- her service to the community by being a Girl Scout Leader, Executive Secretary for the Lombard Lilac Parade Committee, a Rotary Ann, and her activity and involvement with the Maple Street Chapel Preservation Society, the YWCA, and the Lombard Chamber of Commerce.
President Ronald Reagan appointed Mary Jo Arndt to be a member of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships in recognition of her devotion and excellence in service to the Government and she was reappointed by President Bush. Mary Jo served as a member of the Republican National Committee for Illinois from 1988 to 2008. She was elected to the RNC Executive Committee representing the Midwestern Region from 2005-2008. She was the Chairman for Illinois Women for McCain campaign and was a member of the McCain National Hispanic Outreach Team. Mary Jo recently completed six years on the Board of Directors of American Women for International Understanding and is a member and advisor of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Illinois. She is a member of the Xilin Asian Association Board of Directors.
Mrs. Arndt was twice elected by the Primary voters of the 6th Congressional District as their State Central committeeman, both in 1982 and 1986. In 2008, she was elected Vice Chair Emeritus of the Illinois Republican State Committee.
A pioneer in efforts to increase opportunities for women in politics, government and education, she actively worked to expand the party’s base by bringing a diverse group of women into the political system.
As a member of the Illinois Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women, Mary Jo served on the Working Group on Balancing Work and
Family, which explored issues such as child care, elder care and pension reform. She represented President Bush as an observer of the Romanian
Elections in May of 1990. Her government service also included 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 and membership on the Advisory Committee to the Illinois State Superintendent of Schools. She also served, by appointment of the Governor, on the Illinois Commission for the Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment.
Today’s Chicago Woman twice named Mary Jo 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. The Foundation for Women’s Resources selected Mary Jo 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 through 2006, a national not-for-profit leadership organization that recognized, educates and connects accomplished and diverse women to increase their individual and collective impact globally.
Mary Jo was a member of the Advisory Board of Leadership Illinois and 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.
Due to her great love of the Maple Street Chapel in Lombard, the family requests no flowers. Memorials to the Maple Street Chapel for its upkeep would be appreciated. Maple Street Chapel, 220 South Main Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148.
Arrangements made by Brust Funeral Home, 135 South Main Street, Lombard. More info. 1-888-629-0094 or www.brustfuneralhome.com.
Webcast video of Mary Jo Arndt Funeral Service
