In Memory
Jackie R. Walorski
August 17, 1963 ~ August 3, 2022 (age 58)
Jacqueline (Jackie) Renae Walorski Swihart was welcomed into the Heavenly Kingdom at 12:34 PM on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at the age of 58 years. Jackie was born on August 17, 1963 in South Bend. She remained a lifelong resident of the South Bend-Elkhart area. In 1994, Jackie met the love of her life, Dean A. Swihart and on July 15, 1995 Jackie and Dean were united in marriage.
Jackie is survived by a multitude of family and friends who will miss her dearly. Along with her loving husband Dean, Jackie is survived by her mother, Martha C. Walorski of Elkhart; two brothers, David (Karen) Walorski of Osceola and Keith (Brenda) Walorski of North Liberty; mother-in-law, Edna Swihart of Plymouth; and sister-in-law Anna Kathryn (Arlen) Miller of Plymouth. Also surviving are nieces and nephews: Ashley Walorski, Christy (Tim) Lucio, Ryan (Amanda) Walorski, Michael (Amber) Walorski, and Andrew Miller; and great nieces and nephews: Ethan, Elisabeth, Brittney, MacKenzie, Connor, and Cody. Jackie and Dean were blessed with extended family consisting of cousin Patricia (Dan) Mastagh, and special friends Leslie Guzowski and Brenda Allen. Jackie was preceded in death by her father, Raymond B. Walorski and father-in-law, Merl Swihart.
After graduating from Riley High School in South Bend, Jackie attended Liberty University and ultimately graduated from Taylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Public Administration. She started her professional life as a stringer photographer for the South Bend Tribune, and later as an on-air reporter for WSBT-TV. She went on to become the Director of the St. Joseph County Humane Society and later the Director of Development for Ancilla College. She also worked for the South Bend Area Chamber of Commerce and as the Director of Development at Indiana University South Bend.
Jackie and Dean spent four years living in Romania as full-time non-traditional missionaries where they assisted in church planting and worked with homeless children, orphanages, the children’s burn unit, and remote villages. They were living in Romania during the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Two years later they returned home to South Bend to be with family as Jackie’s father’s health declined.
State Representative Dick Mangus mentored Jackie as she began her career in politics. She first ran for State Representative of District 21 in 2004 and won, serving in that position until 2010. In 2012, she was elected as the Congresswoman for Indiana’s 2nd District, holding that position until her passing. Jackie split her time between Washington D.C. and District 2, always eager to meet constituents, business owners and veterans. Jackie’s passion for her district and the United States of America was evident to all who met her, and her energy and determination will be greatly missed.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on August 11, 2022, at Granger Community Church, 630 E. University Drive, Mishawaka, Indiana 46545. Graveside services and burial will follow at Southlawn Cemetery in South Bend, Indiana. Friends may visit with the family from 12pm - 7pm on Wednesday, August 10th, 2022, at Granger Community Church.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Jackie Walorski may be donated to any of the following: Jackie and Dean’s 501c3 not for profit ministry Impact International, Inc; Tunnels 2 Towers Foundation (T2T.org), or RETA of Elkhart County. Please mail contributions to Palmer Funeral Home, 3718 S. Michigan Street, South Bend, IN 46614.
Online condolences may be offered to Jackie’s family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.
08.06.2022 djb
Supporters and detractors all knew Walorski as consistent
A political career that seemingly is destined to bring continued success can be cut short by something other than votes, something not found in polls, something not political at all.
So it was with Jackie Walorski. The congresswoman representing Indiana’s 2nd District died Wednesday in a two-vehicle, head-on crash that also took the lives of her district director, her communications director and the driver of the other vehicle involved in the Elkhart County accident.
With the House in recess, Walorski was back in the district campaigning for a sixth term. All the political analysts had the 58-year-old Republican rated as a sure winner, not just for reelection this fall, but for elections for the remainder of the decade in her solidly Republican district.
She was indeed sure to win — politically — against a Democratic opponent without sufficient name recognition, funding or organization. Then came the something that no analyst could foresee.Walorski, never shy about her conservative Republican views, had fervent supporters and fervent detractors. Vote totals from her last reelection in 2020 showed that the former far outweighed the later. She won by 23 percentage points, carrying nine of the 10 counties in the district. She failed to carry only Democratic-tending St. Joseph County, and her slim negative margin there was virtually wiped out by a big percentage win in tiny Pulaski County.
A Democrat who worked in campaigns against Walorski acknowledged recently that she probably represented the views of the majority of her constituents, not all in St. Joseph County, but in most of the sprawling district.
Back when she first ran for Congress in 2010, Walorski described herself as “a pit bull” in battles in Indianapolis as a state legislator. Her rapid- paced speaking style used then annoyed voters who disagreed with her message and even turned off some potential supporters. She lost in that first try and then had a closer race than expected, even after helpful redistricting for her, in winning narrowly in 2012.
Her style became more friendly, more careful, more persuasive as she went on to win big in later races. She talked of bipartisanship to get things done, joining in sponsorship with Democrats on legislation, while never swerving from her conservative philosophy. She became entrenched.One of the first messages of condolence was from Rep. Adam Kinzinger, the Illinois Republican serving on the Jan. 6 Committee. “My heart is heavy, and I don’t have the words. But all I can say is prayers for her family,” Kinzinger wrote. “She was a good and honorable public servant.”
She and Kinzinger differed completely on Donald Trump. He voted for impeachment. She had high praise for Trump and was delighted to receive Trump’s endorsement in April. Walorski hailed the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision as culmination of the anti-abortion cause she consistently supported. Those agreeing with her views and those abhorring them knew that she was consistent, a true believer rather than a politician wavering on the issue one way of the other after seeing a poll or facing a protest. In gaining seniority, Walorski would have been in line for more important committee roles if, as expected, Republicans take control of the House this fall. She was positioned to move up in seniority on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.
I covered all of Walorski’s political career and knew her before she ever reached the state legislature. She didn’t always like what I wrote. But she never sent a nasty message or engaged in verbal attacks. When we met, she always had a cheerful greeting. Not all after a column with which they disagree are cheerful.
Some readers who didn’t like Walorski were angry when I wrote columns about her looking like a sure winner. Well, she did. She was. And she looked that way again — until something not political at all intervened.
Jack Colwell is a columnist for The Tribune. Write to him in care of The Tribune or by email at jcolwell@comcast.net.
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