Lombard honors Republican women's leader

Mary Jo Arndt has met her share of former presidents, from Nixon and Carter to Reagan and both Bushes.

She's represented the United States during Romania's first democratic elections and been a guest of American ambassadors in Denmark. She's been the Republican National Committeewoman for Illinois and served as president of the National Federation of Republican Women.

And as of Friday, she's had a day proclaimed in her honor in the Village of Lombard.

"I was just raised to always value the freedoms I had in America and the fact that I was born in the U.S. and was a citizen," she said.

Born in Chicago, Arndt has lived in Lombard since she was 14. She graduated from Northern Illinois University and a few years later she and her husband Paul opened Lombard Veterinary Hospital, which they still own.

"We as a family have had experiences nobody in the world could have ever had," Paul Arndt said, including hosting political candidates and senators in their Lombard home under surveillance by Secret Service agents.

Georgie Ludwig, one of the Arndt's daughters and a veterinarian at the Lombard hospital, said her mother always has been a leader who strives to improve people's lives.

"I think she is one of the earliest feminists of her time," Ludwig said. "From a very young age she believed there should be no barriers in front of women. She and my father both wanted their children to be anything they could possibly be and she gives that wish to all women."

Arndt also has an interest in education, having served on the National Commission on Women's Educational Programs under President Reagan in the early 1980s. And in 1998-99, when she was president of the National Federation of Republican Women, she lived near Washington, D.C., and flew back and forth every couple weeks.

"I have always been an advocate for women in politics and in education and in business," she said.

Locally, Arndt has convinced friends such as Joann Richardson of Lombard to become involved in political groups, including York Township Republican Women and the Maple Street Chapel Preservation Society.

"She's helped me in that point of being able to go to the next step to furthering our Republican Party for women," Richardson said. "She's been very helpful in a lot of young women going on to further their careers and she encourages them to run for office."

The Lombard village board proclaimed Friday as a day in Arndt's honor to match the date of a celebration already planned by York Township Republican Women.

"She's been a very active person in our community for years," Village President William Mueller said. "She's just a Lombard citizen that we're all proud of and we all can ... certainly benefit from her involvement in our community."