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2023 ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION 103
January 16, 2024 - Introduced by Representatives MICHALSKI, ALLEN, AUGUST,
BALDEH, CONLEY, DITTRICH, DRAKE, DUCHOW, EDMING, EMERSON, HURD,
JACOBSON, KITCHENS, MACCO, MAGNAFICI, MAXEY, MELOTIK, MURPHY, MURSAU,
O'CONNOR, OHNSTAD, PENTERMAN, RETTINGER, ROZAR, SCHUTT, SINICKI, SPIROS,
STUBBS, SUBECK, TITTL, TRANEL and BRANDTJEN, cosponsored by Senators
HUTTON, JAGLER, JACQUE, SPREITZER, BRADLEY, KAPENGA, NASS, CARPENTER,
FELZKOWSKI, MARKLEIN, WIRCH, COWLES, AGARD, FEYEN, BALLWEG, ROYS and
TESTIN. Referred to Committee on Rules.
1 Relating to: honoring the life and public service of Lieutenant Governor Margaret
2 Farrow.
3 Whereas, former Lieutenant Governor Margaret Farrow passed away on
4 March 8, 2022, at the age of 87, surrounded by her loved ones at her home in
5 Pewaukee, Wisconsin; and
6 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow dedicated her life to serving the great
7 state and people of Wisconsin and was a trailblazer for women in Wisconsin politics,
8 being the first woman to serve as lieutenant governor in Wisconsin; and
9 Whereas, Margaret Farrow was born to William and Margaret Nemitz in
10 Kenosha, Wisconsin, on November 28, 1934; and
11 Whereas, Margaret Farrow was raised in Kenosha and attended Dominican
12 Sisters of St. Catherine High School in Racine; and
13 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow attended Rosary College in Illinois and
14 earned a bachelor's degree in political science and education from Marquette
15 University; and
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1 Whereas, prior to her political career, Lieutenant Governor Farrow worked as
2 a school teacher and real estate agent; and
3 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow began her career in public service in
4 municipal government, first serving on the Village of Elm Grove Board of Appeals
5 from 1972 to 1974; and
6 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow was elected as a member of the Elm
7 Grove Village Board in 1976, which she served on until 1987, and served as village
8 president from 1981 to 1987—becoming the first woman to serve as village president;
9 and
10 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow served the state in multiple capacities:
11 as a representative in the state assembly, as state senator, and eventually as
12 lieutenant governor; and
13 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow was first elected to the Wisconsin
14 Assembly in 1986, representing a district covering most of Waukesha County and
15 portions of western Milwaukee County; and
16 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow was elected to the Wisconsin Senate in
17 a special election in 1989 and served in that seat for over a decade until 1999; and
18 Whereas, during Lieutenant Governor Farrow's tenure in the state legislature,
19 she served in several leadership roles, including senate assistant minority leader
20 and senate assistant majority leader, served as chair of the Wisconsin Women's
21 Council for over a decade, and served on the Joint Committee on Finance for three
22 sessions; and
23 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow was sworn in as the 42nd lieutenant
24 governor on May 9, 2001, becoming the first woman to hold that position in Wisconsin
25 history; and
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1 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow continued her life of public service even
2 after her tenure as lieutenant governor had ended, serving on numerous committees
3 and boards through 2021, including the University of Wisconsin System Board of
4 Regents from 2013 to 2017; and
5 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow was a tireless leader, and one of her
6 proudest legislative achievements was to democratize access to meetings and
7 activities of the legislature through the creation of WisconsinEye, on whose Board
8 of Directors she served since its creation in 2001; and
9 Whereas, her life of service was not limited to public work, and Lieutenant
10 Governor Farrow was very active in her church and community, notably serving the
11 Archdiocese of Milwaukee for decades on numerous committees while enjoying
12 fishing and sailing with her family and quilting with her friends, and always
13 appreciated an opportunity to enjoy and share a beautiful sunset; and
14 Whereas, Margaret especially enjoyed muskie fishing with her sons,
15 daughters-in-law, and grandchildren, often participating in muskie tournaments
16 around the state. Her love of her home state of Wisconsin was evident in everything
17 she did and communicated proudly to all through her license plate, “WI A 10," which
18 she had for over 30 years; and
19 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow was a loving wife of 65 years to her
20 husband, John, and a mother to five sons: John, Bill, Peter, Paul, and Mark; and
21 Whereas, Lieutenant Governor Farrow is remembered fondly for her work
22 ethic, kindness, and service to the state and as a mentor and trailblazer; now,
23 therefore, be it
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1 Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the members of the
2 Wisconsin Legislature honor the life and public service of Lieutenant Governor
3 Margaret Farrow and extend their condolences to her family and friends.
4 (END)