Former Illinois House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, 'iconic public servant,' dies: AG

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois officials are mourning the loss of former House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, who died at age 85.

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Currie was a 40-year veteran of the Illinois House and the chamber's first woman majority leader.

She was regarded as a trailblazer for women in Illinois politics and worked until her death as chair of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul said, "Illinois had lost an iconic public servant, and I have lost a mentor and a friend."

He went on to say, "For 14 years I shared a legislative district with Barbara Flynn Currie, and I am a better public servant as a result. We were fellow Hyde Parkers and Lab School Alumni. In our district, Barbara and I knocked on doors together when it was time to circulate petitions, and she had a way of charming people at the doors - even those who were initially resistant to opening the door. She made sure our district offices worked together to maximize constituent services. We shared a First Friday breakfast at the Mellow Yellow with other neighborhood political leaders, and her witty humor during and after those gatherings had me laughing long after I would drop her off at home after breakfast.

"In Springfield, we worked together on numerous legislative initiatives. She taught me patience and pragmatism. She helped me appreciate the value of incremental change and not letting perfection be the enemy of the good. She knew how to scrutinize well-meant legislation for unintended consequences. In this time where voting rights are under attack, I can't help but remember our work together on the Illinois Voting Rights Act of 2011 that has led to a diverse Illinois Legislature. She was critical at whipping up votes for the abolition of the death penalty. While small in physical stature, she was tough as nails when she defended bills on the House floor.

"Barbara's record of and approach to service should be used as teaching example for legislators today and into the future. I wish we could share a last breakfast, glass of wine and last laugh together. Rest in Power, my friend."

House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch said in a statement, "Everyone who entered the Capitol today walked in the footsteps of Barabra Flynn Currie. As the trailblazing first woman to serve as House Majority Leader, she didn't just break a glass ceiling-she lifted others up after her. In any room she set foot in, Barbara had the sharpest mind, the quickest wit, and the strongest drive to speak up for what she believed. I see the examples of her mentorship every day in the House, and we see the impact of her life's work every day across the state. Illinois is a safe haven for reproductive rights because of Barbara Flynn Currie. Illinois protects voting rights, values our natural resources, and continues the march for justice because of Barbara Flynn Currie. And the House she joined in 1979 as one of just 21 women is now one of the most diverse and representative chambers in the country because of Barabra Flynn Currie. We are living in a state that Barbara Flynn Currie helped to transform-and we are all better for it."

The Illinois American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations said in a statement, "The Illinois labor movement is saddened by the passing of the Honorable Barbara Flynn Currie, a pioneering lawmaker and the first woman to serve as Majority Leader in the Illinois House of Representatives at a time when women were vastly underrepresented in the General Assembly.

"Throughout her distinguished career, Leader Currie was a steadfast advocate for working people. A meticulous legislator and skilled debater, Currie was best known for her work to advance equity through the Earned Income Tax Credit and Equal Pay Act, expansion of funding for early childhood education, and her leadership to address sexual harassment and guarantee maternity leave in the workplace.

"In partnership with Illinois AFL-CIO President Margaret Blackshere, Loretta Durbin, and others, Leader Currie also helped to organize the Illinois Women in Leadership Training Academy (IWILTA), which has since prepared generations of women-including union members-to run for public office.

"Leader Currie's legacy is one of principled leadership, lasting impact, and unwavering commitment to working families. She will be deeply missed, and Illinois is stronger because of her service."

This is a developing story; check back with ABC7 Chicago for updates; Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.