Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1972 (alternate), 1996; candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois 21st District, 1980; member of Decatur, Illinois City Council, 1983-1987; member of Illinois State Senate, 1987-98; candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, 1994. Part of the first major party all-female gubernatorial ticket in American history, alongside Dawn Clark Netsch.
============================
Chicago Tribune
22 February 1998
DECATUR, Ill. — State Sen. Penny Severns, lauded by colleagues as a political "true believer," was a feisty yet eloquent lawmaker who fought her cancer and perceived social injustice with equal fervor. The 1994 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor together with gubernatorial contender Dawn Clark Netsch, Severns died Saturday of complications from breast cancer in her Decatur home. She was 46.
Severns, who served for 11 years in the legislature, died two days after deteriorating health led her to give up in a legal challenge to her campaign for her party's 1998 nomination for secretary of state. Severns had been battling breast cancer for the last four years. But she continued in her political career and her fight for social causes, using them as an intellectual catharsis from the physical rigors of chemotherapy and other treatment.
Her physicians sent her home Wednesday after a week in the hospital, saying her declining health prevented her from undergoing further treatment. She was with her family and friends when she died. "She fought it to the last ounce of breath in her body. She lived and breathed politics," said her close friend and supporter, Sen. Vince Demuzio (D-Carlinville). "She was disappointed she couldn't continue in the race, but it didn't deter her any."
Republican Gov. Jim Edgar, who defeated the team of Severns and Netsch in the 1994 election, ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff through her funeral. He hailed her for her "courageous" battle against cancer and for serving as a "skilled, hard-working public servant who worked tirelessly" for her district.
It was during her teaming with Netsch--the first time in the nation's history that two women had won major-party nominations for the top two positions in state government--that Severns was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Netsch said Severns' election to the General Assembly in 1986 was a turning point in state politics. Severns showed her political acumen by keeping her liberal beliefs while winning the votes of a largely conservative and rural central Illinois constituency.
"That was important to both underscore and broadcast the message that some of the issues that were quote 'women's issues' were not confined to the urban, sophisticated feminist," said Netsch, a former state comptroller who also served with Severns in the Senate. "They were things that were important to people all over."
Severns began her political career while attending Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Two years before graduating with a bachelor's degree in political science, she was elected at age 20 as a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention.
After graduation, she worked briefly for state government before joining the U.S. State Department as a special assistant for the Agency for International Development. In 1981, she returned to Illinois as an administrative assistant in the state comptroller's office, monitoring audits and directing the annual report of state spending.
During that time, Severns launched her career in elective office, winning a seat on the Decatur City Council, where she served for four years. That, in turn, led to her being tapped by then-Illinois Senate President Philip Rock of Oak Park to run for the Senate in a hotly contested general election, in which she unseated a 10-year Republican incumbent, Sen. James Rupp.
At the time of her death, Severns was the ranking Democrat on the Senate Revenue Committee and served as principal negotiator for Senate Democrats on the state budget.
In addition to championing fiscal reforms, she pushed to expand Illinois exports, fought for an emergency medical leave law for workers and worked to help the state track down parents delinquent in paying child support.
Severns' death cast a pall over the Democratic nomination contest for secretary of state, a race already dominated by controversy rather than policy issues. Too ill to continue, she gave up last week seeking a court appeal of the ruling by the State Board of Elections that took her name off the March 17 Democratic primary ballot. The board ruled that her petitions fell 251 names short of the 5,000 needed for the ballot.
Her candidacy petitions had been challenged by Tim McCarthy, the police chief of Orland Park, who is seeking the party's secretary-of-state nomination against Jesse White, the Cook County recorder of deeds. In her last public statement, delivered through a spokeswoman on Thursday, Severns lashed out at McCarthy for "an underhanded effort to deny the voters of Illinois a choice to support" her candidacy. McCarthy, whose petition challenge was backed by Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, issued a brief statement Saturday saying that "Illinois has lost a great leader."
White said in a statement that he was saddened by the passing of a "dear, dear friend."
Sen. Denny Jacobs (D-East Moline), who backed Severns' candidacy, said she was a "true believer" in her chosen political causes, but suffered from accusations about her integrity during the petition challenge. "I think that the whole scenario of having to fight to stay on the ballot did take its toll," Jacobs said.
The late senator's family had a history of breast cancer. A younger sister died of the disease, and Severns' identical twin, Patty Severns Love, also was treated for it. Besides Love, Penny Severns is survived by her father, Donald, and two brothers.
Severns' aides said funeral arrangements were pending, but a memorial service will be planned for later this week.
============================
Chicago Tribune
22 February 1998
DECATUR, Ill. — State Sen. Penny Severns, lauded by colleagues as a political "true believer," was a feisty yet eloquent lawmaker who fought her cancer and perceived social injustice with equal fervor. The 1994 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor together with gubernatorial contender Dawn Clark Netsch, Severns died Saturday of complications from breast cancer in her Decatur home. She was 46.
Severns, who served for 11 years in the legislature, died two days after deteriorating health led her to give up in a legal challenge to her campaign for her party's 1998 nomination for secretary of state. Severns had been battling breast cancer for the last four years. But she continued in her political career and her fight for social causes, using them as an intellectual catharsis from the physical rigors of chemotherapy and other treatment.
Her physicians sent her home Wednesday after a week in the hospital, saying her declining health prevented her from undergoing further treatment. She was with her family and friends when she died. "She fought it to the last ounce of breath in her body. She lived and breathed politics," said her close friend and supporter, Sen. Vince Demuzio (D-Carlinville). "She was disappointed she couldn't continue in the race, but it didn't deter her any."
Republican Gov. Jim Edgar, who defeated the team of Severns and Netsch in the 1994 election, ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff through her funeral. He hailed her for her "courageous" battle against cancer and for serving as a "skilled, hard-working public servant who worked tirelessly" for her district.
It was during her teaming with Netsch--the first time in the nation's history that two women had won major-party nominations for the top two positions in state government--that Severns was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Netsch said Severns' election to the General Assembly in 1986 was a turning point in state politics. Severns showed her political acumen by keeping her liberal beliefs while winning the votes of a largely conservative and rural central Illinois constituency.
"That was important to both underscore and broadcast the message that some of the issues that were quote 'women's issues' were not confined to the urban, sophisticated feminist," said Netsch, a former state comptroller who also served with Severns in the Senate. "They were things that were important to people all over."
Severns began her political career while attending Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Two years before graduating with a bachelor's degree in political science, she was elected at age 20 as a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention.
After graduation, she worked briefly for state government before joining the U.S. State Department as a special assistant for the Agency for International Development. In 1981, she returned to Illinois as an administrative assistant in the state comptroller's office, monitoring audits and directing the annual report of state spending.
During that time, Severns launched her career in elective office, winning a seat on the Decatur City Council, where she served for four years. That, in turn, led to her being tapped by then-Illinois Senate President Philip Rock of Oak Park to run for the Senate in a hotly contested general election, in which she unseated a 10-year Republican incumbent, Sen. James Rupp.
At the time of her death, Severns was the ranking Democrat on the Senate Revenue Committee and served as principal negotiator for Senate Democrats on the state budget.
In addition to championing fiscal reforms, she pushed to expand Illinois exports, fought for an emergency medical leave law for workers and worked to help the state track down parents delinquent in paying child support.
Severns' death cast a pall over the Democratic nomination contest for secretary of state, a race already dominated by controversy rather than policy issues. Too ill to continue, she gave up last week seeking a court appeal of the ruling by the State Board of Elections that took her name off the March 17 Democratic primary ballot. The board ruled that her petitions fell 251 names short of the 5,000 needed for the ballot.
Her candidacy petitions had been challenged by Tim McCarthy, the police chief of Orland Park, who is seeking the party's secretary-of-state nomination against Jesse White, the Cook County recorder of deeds. In her last public statement, delivered through a spokeswoman on Thursday, Severns lashed out at McCarthy for "an underhanded effort to deny the voters of Illinois a choice to support" her candidacy. McCarthy, whose petition challenge was backed by Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, issued a brief statement Saturday saying that "Illinois has lost a great leader."
White said in a statement that he was saddened by the passing of a "dear, dear friend."
Sen. Denny Jacobs (D-East Moline), who backed Severns' candidacy, said she was a "true believer" in her chosen political causes, but suffered from accusations about her integrity during the petition challenge. "I think that the whole scenario of having to fight to stay on the ballot did take its toll," Jacobs said.
The late senator's family had a history of breast cancer. A younger sister died of the disease, and Severns' identical twin, Patty Severns Love, also was treated for it. Besides Love, Penny Severns is survived by her father, Donald, and two brothers.
Severns' aides said funeral arrangements were pending, but a memorial service will be planned for later this week.
Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1972 (alternate), 1996; candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois 21st District, 1980; member of Decatur, Illinois City Council, 1983-1987; member of Illinois State Senate, 1987-98; candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, 1994. Part of the first major party all-female gubernatorial ticket in American history, alongside Dawn Clark Netsch.
============================
Chicago Tribune
22 February 1998
DECATUR, Ill. — State Sen. Penny Severns, lauded by colleagues as a political "true believer," was a feisty yet eloquent lawmaker who fought her cancer and perceived social injustice with equal fervor. The 1994 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor together with gubernatorial contender Dawn Clark Netsch, Severns died Saturday of complications from breast cancer in her Decatur home. She was 46.
Severns, who served for 11 years in the legislature, died two days after deteriorating health led her to give up in a legal challenge to her campaign for her party's 1998 nomination for secretary of state. Severns had been battling breast cancer for the last four years. But she continued in her political career and her fight for social causes, using them as an intellectual catharsis from the physical rigors of chemotherapy and other treatment.
Her physicians sent her home Wednesday after a week in the hospital, saying her declining health prevented her from undergoing further treatment. She was with her family and friends when she died. "She fought it to the last ounce of breath in her body. She lived and breathed politics," said her close friend and supporter, Sen. Vince Demuzio (D-Carlinville). "She was disappointed she couldn't continue in the race, but it didn't deter her any."
Republican Gov. Jim Edgar, who defeated the team of Severns and Netsch in the 1994 election, ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff through her funeral. He hailed her for her "courageous" battle against cancer and for serving as a "skilled, hard-working public servant who worked tirelessly" for her district.
It was during her teaming with Netsch--the first time in the nation's history that two women had won major-party nominations for the top two positions in state government--that Severns was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Netsch said Severns' election to the General Assembly in 1986 was a turning point in state politics. Severns showed her political acumen by keeping her liberal beliefs while winning the votes of a largely conservative and rural central Illinois constituency.
"That was important to both underscore and broadcast the message that some of the issues that were quote 'women's issues' were not confined to the urban, sophisticated feminist," said Netsch, a former state comptroller who also served with Severns in the Senate. "They were things that were important to people all over."
Severns began her political career while attending Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Two years before graduating with a bachelor's degree in political science, she was elected at age 20 as a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention.
After graduation, she worked briefly for state government before joining the U.S. State Department as a special assistant for the Agency for International Development. In 1981, she returned to Illinois as an administrative assistant in the state comptroller's office, monitoring audits and directing the annual report of state spending.
During that time, Severns launched her career in elective office, winning a seat on the Decatur City Council, where she served for four years. That, in turn, led to her being tapped by then-Illinois Senate President Philip Rock of Oak Park to run for the Senate in a hotly contested general election, in which she unseated a 10-year Republican incumbent, Sen. James Rupp.
At the time of her death, Severns was the ranking Democrat on the Senate Revenue Committee and served as principal negotiator for Senate Democrats on the state budget.
In addition to championing fiscal reforms, she pushed to expand Illinois exports, fought for an emergency medical leave law for workers and worked to help the state track down parents delinquent in paying child support.
Severns' death cast a pall over the Democratic nomination contest for secretary of state, a race already dominated by controversy rather than policy issues. Too ill to continue, she gave up last week seeking a court appeal of the ruling by the State Board of Elections that took her name off the March 17 Democratic primary ballot. The board ruled that her petitions fell 251 names short of the 5,000 needed for the ballot.
Her candidacy petitions had been challenged by Tim McCarthy, the police chief of Orland Park, who is seeking the party's secretary-of-state nomination against Jesse White, the Cook County recorder of deeds. In her last public statement, delivered through a spokeswoman on Thursday, Severns lashed out at McCarthy for "an underhanded effort to deny the voters of Illinois a choice to support" her candidacy. McCarthy, whose petition challenge was backed by Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, issued a brief statement Saturday saying that "Illinois has lost a great leader."
White said in a statement that he was saddened by the passing of a "dear, dear friend."
Sen. Denny Jacobs (D-East Moline), who backed Severns' candidacy, said she was a "true believer" in her chosen political causes, but suffered from accusations about her integrity during the petition challenge. "I think that the whole scenario of having to fight to stay on the ballot did take its toll," Jacobs said.
The late senator's family had a history of breast cancer. A younger sister died of the disease, and Severns' identical twin, Patty Severns Love, also was treated for it. Besides Love, Penny Severns is survived by her father, Donald, and two brothers.
Severns' aides said funeral arrangements were pending, but a memorial service will be planned for later this week.
============================
Chicago Tribune
22 February 1998
DECATUR, Ill. — State Sen. Penny Severns, lauded by colleagues as a political "true believer," was a feisty yet eloquent lawmaker who fought her cancer and perceived social injustice with equal fervor. The 1994 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor together with gubernatorial contender Dawn Clark Netsch, Severns died Saturday of complications from breast cancer in her Decatur home. She was 46.
Severns, who served for 11 years in the legislature, died two days after deteriorating health led her to give up in a legal challenge to her campaign for her party's 1998 nomination for secretary of state. Severns had been battling breast cancer for the last four years. But she continued in her political career and her fight for social causes, using them as an intellectual catharsis from the physical rigors of chemotherapy and other treatment.
Her physicians sent her home Wednesday after a week in the hospital, saying her declining health prevented her from undergoing further treatment. She was with her family and friends when she died. "She fought it to the last ounce of breath in her body. She lived and breathed politics," said her close friend and supporter, Sen. Vince Demuzio (D-Carlinville). "She was disappointed she couldn't continue in the race, but it didn't deter her any."
Republican Gov. Jim Edgar, who defeated the team of Severns and Netsch in the 1994 election, ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff through her funeral. He hailed her for her "courageous" battle against cancer and for serving as a "skilled, hard-working public servant who worked tirelessly" for her district.
It was during her teaming with Netsch--the first time in the nation's history that two women had won major-party nominations for the top two positions in state government--that Severns was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Netsch said Severns' election to the General Assembly in 1986 was a turning point in state politics. Severns showed her political acumen by keeping her liberal beliefs while winning the votes of a largely conservative and rural central Illinois constituency.
"That was important to both underscore and broadcast the message that some of the issues that were quote 'women's issues' were not confined to the urban, sophisticated feminist," said Netsch, a former state comptroller who also served with Severns in the Senate. "They were things that were important to people all over."
Severns began her political career while attending Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Two years before graduating with a bachelor's degree in political science, she was elected at age 20 as a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention.
After graduation, she worked briefly for state government before joining the U.S. State Department as a special assistant for the Agency for International Development. In 1981, she returned to Illinois as an administrative assistant in the state comptroller's office, monitoring audits and directing the annual report of state spending.
During that time, Severns launched her career in elective office, winning a seat on the Decatur City Council, where she served for four years. That, in turn, led to her being tapped by then-Illinois Senate President Philip Rock of Oak Park to run for the Senate in a hotly contested general election, in which she unseated a 10-year Republican incumbent, Sen. James Rupp.
At the time of her death, Severns was the ranking Democrat on the Senate Revenue Committee and served as principal negotiator for Senate Democrats on the state budget.
In addition to championing fiscal reforms, she pushed to expand Illinois exports, fought for an emergency medical leave law for workers and worked to help the state track down parents delinquent in paying child support.
Severns' death cast a pall over the Democratic nomination contest for secretary of state, a race already dominated by controversy rather than policy issues. Too ill to continue, she gave up last week seeking a court appeal of the ruling by the State Board of Elections that took her name off the March 17 Democratic primary ballot. The board ruled that her petitions fell 251 names short of the 5,000 needed for the ballot.
Her candidacy petitions had been challenged by Tim McCarthy, the police chief of Orland Park, who is seeking the party's secretary-of-state nomination against Jesse White, the Cook County recorder of deeds. In her last public statement, delivered through a spokeswoman on Thursday, Severns lashed out at McCarthy for "an underhanded effort to deny the voters of Illinois a choice to support" her candidacy. McCarthy, whose petition challenge was backed by Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, issued a brief statement Saturday saying that "Illinois has lost a great leader."
White said in a statement that he was saddened by the passing of a "dear, dear friend."
Sen. Denny Jacobs (D-East Moline), who backed Severns' candidacy, said she was a "true believer" in her chosen political causes, but suffered from accusations about her integrity during the petition challenge. "I think that the whole scenario of having to fight to stay on the ballot did take its toll," Jacobs said.
The late senator's family had a history of breast cancer. A younger sister died of the disease, and Severns' identical twin, Patty Severns Love, also was treated for it. Besides Love, Penny Severns is survived by her father, Donald, and two brothers.
Severns' aides said funeral arrangements were pending, but a memorial service will be planned for later this week.
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