42nd Attorney General of Wisconsin (2003-2007)∼Peggy Lautenschlager
Fond du Lac - Peggy Ann ("Peg") Lautenschlager, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, died on March 31, 2018, after a battle with cancer that began almost 14 years earlier. The daughter of Fond du Lac public school teachers, Peg served as a district attorney, a state legislator, a United States Attorney, Wisconsin Attorney General, and the first Chair of the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. She had an impact on countless people, and it meant the world to her.
Peg was born on November 22, 1955, in Fond du Lac. She was the valedictorian of her class at Goodrich High School; a Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude graduate of Lake Forest College, where she majored in history and mathematics; and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Peg was appointed District Attorney of Winnebago County in 1985 and was elected to that position the following year. In 1988, she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, defeating a 32-year incumbent. Peg is the only Democrat to have been elected to represent the Fond du Lac area in the State Assembly in the last 75 years. She was re-elected in 1990.
In 1993, Peg was appointed by President Clinton to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. During her tenure, she served on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee under U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. Peg was the first Wisconsinite ever to serve on the committee.
In 2002, Peg was elected to serve as Wisconsin's 42nd Attorney General—the first woman elected to that position. As AG, Peg created a Public Integrity Unit, was a leader on environmental issues, and sued 36 pharmaceutical companies for reporting inflated drug prices. She prosecuted a man who was convicted of murdering six hunters and attempting to murder two others in northwest Wisconsin. She also issued an opinion concluding that Wisconsin law prohibits the exclusion of prescription contraceptives from benefit plans that provide prescription drug coverage.
After serving as Attorney General, Peg continued to advocate for causes that were important to her. She worked with the Service Employees International Union, fought for public access to the Wisconsin State Capitol during the protests of Act 10, and did pro bono legal work for young people in Fond du Lac. She also volunteered at Blandine House, a substance-abuse treatment center, where she was known for her home-cooked meals.
Peg is survived by her mother, Pat Lautenschlager; her husband, Bill Rippl; her five children and step-children, Jason Rippl (Marnie Spielbauer), Josh Kaul (Lindsey Powell), Justin Rippl (Alicia), Ryan Kaul (Kelly Bridgeman), and Rebecca Johnson (Brandon); and five grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Elias Johnson, Simon Kaul, Emma Johnson, Henry Kaul, and Will Rippl. She was deeply proud of her children and step-children, and she delighted in playing an active role in her grandchildren's lives.
Peg was fiercely independent, a gifted orator, funny, and down-to-earth. She was a mentor and friend to numerous people who wanted to serve their communities.
In 2006, the Fond du Lac Reporter wrote that a "woman with the kind of tenacity and courage Peg Lautenschlager has shown in her fight with breast cancer, a woman who picks up the pieces and battles on, doesn't walk away." She never did.
A memorial service for Peg will be held in the Fond du Lac area, although details have not yet been finalized. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Blandine House, Inc., the ARC of Fond du Lac, Inc., or United For Diversity.
Kurki-Mach Funeral Chapel & Crematory is serving the family, www.kurkimachfuneralchapel.com. 920-921-4420
Published in Fond du Lac Reporter on Apr. 2, 2018
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Taken from the Post Crescent March 31, 2018
Former Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, the only woman to hold the post, has died from cancer at age 62.
A mother of five, whose public service career spanned three decades, Lautenschlager died early Saturday surrounded by family at her home in Fond du Lac, her husband, Bill Rippl, said.
In addition to Attorney General, Lautenschlager, a Democrat, also served as a state representative, a local district attorney, and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
"She was a trailblazer for many women in Wisconsin politics, a loyal friend and true-blue Democrat," state Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) said in a statement, one of several issued Saturday as news of Lautenschlager's death circulated on social media.
"Peg was a trusted political mentor to many and was always willing to lend her insight, advice and enthusiasm to friends and family across the state," Shilling said.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Drake Roggensack called Lautenschlager "a leader in the law" who continued to serve the state after leaving office.
And former Gov. Jim Doyle said she "devoted her life and remarkable talents to public service."
"She was a trailblazer and a champion for the people of Wisconsin, a state she dearly loved," Doyle said.
A native of Fond du Lac, Lautenschlager graduated from Lake Forest College in Illinois in 1977 and earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1980.
She served as Winnebago County District Attorney from 1985 to 1988, again, the first woman elected to that post. She was elected to represent the Fond du Lac area in the state Assembly in 1988, ousting 32-year incumbent Earl McEssy. And she served until 1993 when she made an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress, narrowly losing to Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Petri.
Lautenschlager served as Attorney General from 2003 to 2007. In July 2016, she was appointed as the first commissioner of the newly formed Ethics Commission, from which she later resigned.
Fond du Lac - Peggy Ann ("Peg") Lautenschlager, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, died on March 31, 2018, after a battle with cancer that began almost 14 years earlier. The daughter of Fond du Lac public school teachers, Peg served as a district attorney, a state legislator, a United States Attorney, Wisconsin Attorney General, and the first Chair of the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. She had an impact on countless people, and it meant the world to her.
Peg was born on November 22, 1955, in Fond du Lac. She was the valedictorian of her class at Goodrich High School; a Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude graduate of Lake Forest College, where she majored in history and mathematics; and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Peg was appointed District Attorney of Winnebago County in 1985 and was elected to that position the following year. In 1988, she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, defeating a 32-year incumbent. Peg is the only Democrat to have been elected to represent the Fond du Lac area in the State Assembly in the last 75 years. She was re-elected in 1990.
In 1993, Peg was appointed by President Clinton to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. During her tenure, she served on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee under U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. Peg was the first Wisconsinite ever to serve on the committee.
In 2002, Peg was elected to serve as Wisconsin's 42nd Attorney General—the first woman elected to that position. As AG, Peg created a Public Integrity Unit, was a leader on environmental issues, and sued 36 pharmaceutical companies for reporting inflated drug prices. She prosecuted a man who was convicted of murdering six hunters and attempting to murder two others in northwest Wisconsin. She also issued an opinion concluding that Wisconsin law prohibits the exclusion of prescription contraceptives from benefit plans that provide prescription drug coverage.
After serving as Attorney General, Peg continued to advocate for causes that were important to her. She worked with the Service Employees International Union, fought for public access to the Wisconsin State Capitol during the protests of Act 10, and did pro bono legal work for young people in Fond du Lac. She also volunteered at Blandine House, a substance-abuse treatment center, where she was known for her home-cooked meals.
Peg is survived by her mother, Pat Lautenschlager; her husband, Bill Rippl; her five children and step-children, Jason Rippl (Marnie Spielbauer), Josh Kaul (Lindsey Powell), Justin Rippl (Alicia), Ryan Kaul (Kelly Bridgeman), and Rebecca Johnson (Brandon); and five grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Elias Johnson, Simon Kaul, Emma Johnson, Henry Kaul, and Will Rippl. She was deeply proud of her children and step-children, and she delighted in playing an active role in her grandchildren's lives.
Peg was fiercely independent, a gifted orator, funny, and down-to-earth. She was a mentor and friend to numerous people who wanted to serve their communities.
In 2006, the Fond du Lac Reporter wrote that a "woman with the kind of tenacity and courage Peg Lautenschlager has shown in her fight with breast cancer, a woman who picks up the pieces and battles on, doesn't walk away." She never did.
A memorial service for Peg will be held in the Fond du Lac area, although details have not yet been finalized. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Blandine House, Inc., the ARC of Fond du Lac, Inc., or United For Diversity.
Kurki-Mach Funeral Chapel & Crematory is serving the family, www.kurkimachfuneralchapel.com. 920-921-4420
Published in Fond du Lac Reporter on Apr. 2, 2018
*********************
Taken from the Post Crescent March 31, 2018
Former Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, the only woman to hold the post, has died from cancer at age 62.
A mother of five, whose public service career spanned three decades, Lautenschlager died early Saturday surrounded by family at her home in Fond du Lac, her husband, Bill Rippl, said.
In addition to Attorney General, Lautenschlager, a Democrat, also served as a state representative, a local district attorney, and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
"She was a trailblazer for many women in Wisconsin politics, a loyal friend and true-blue Democrat," state Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) said in a statement, one of several issued Saturday as news of Lautenschlager's death circulated on social media.
"Peg was a trusted political mentor to many and was always willing to lend her insight, advice and enthusiasm to friends and family across the state," Shilling said.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Drake Roggensack called Lautenschlager "a leader in the law" who continued to serve the state after leaving office.
And former Gov. Jim Doyle said she "devoted her life and remarkable talents to public service."
"She was a trailblazer and a champion for the people of Wisconsin, a state she dearly loved," Doyle said.
A native of Fond du Lac, Lautenschlager graduated from Lake Forest College in Illinois in 1977 and earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1980.
She served as Winnebago County District Attorney from 1985 to 1988, again, the first woman elected to that post. She was elected to represent the Fond du Lac area in the state Assembly in 1988, ousting 32-year incumbent Earl McEssy. And she served until 1993 when she made an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress, narrowly losing to Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Petri.
Lautenschlager served as Attorney General from 2003 to 2007. In July 2016, she was appointed as the first commissioner of the newly formed Ethics Commission, from which she later resigned.
42nd Attorney General of Wisconsin (2003-2007)∼Peggy Lautenschlager
Fond du Lac - Peggy Ann ("Peg") Lautenschlager, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, died on March 31, 2018, after a battle with cancer that began almost 14 years earlier. The daughter of Fond du Lac public school teachers, Peg served as a district attorney, a state legislator, a United States Attorney, Wisconsin Attorney General, and the first Chair of the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. She had an impact on countless people, and it meant the world to her.
Peg was born on November 22, 1955, in Fond du Lac. She was the valedictorian of her class at Goodrich High School; a Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude graduate of Lake Forest College, where she majored in history and mathematics; and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Peg was appointed District Attorney of Winnebago County in 1985 and was elected to that position the following year. In 1988, she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, defeating a 32-year incumbent. Peg is the only Democrat to have been elected to represent the Fond du Lac area in the State Assembly in the last 75 years. She was re-elected in 1990.
In 1993, Peg was appointed by President Clinton to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. During her tenure, she served on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee under U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. Peg was the first Wisconsinite ever to serve on the committee.
In 2002, Peg was elected to serve as Wisconsin's 42nd Attorney General—the first woman elected to that position. As AG, Peg created a Public Integrity Unit, was a leader on environmental issues, and sued 36 pharmaceutical companies for reporting inflated drug prices. She prosecuted a man who was convicted of murdering six hunters and attempting to murder two others in northwest Wisconsin. She also issued an opinion concluding that Wisconsin law prohibits the exclusion of prescription contraceptives from benefit plans that provide prescription drug coverage.
After serving as Attorney General, Peg continued to advocate for causes that were important to her. She worked with the Service Employees International Union, fought for public access to the Wisconsin State Capitol during the protests of Act 10, and did pro bono legal work for young people in Fond du Lac. She also volunteered at Blandine House, a substance-abuse treatment center, where she was known for her home-cooked meals.
Peg is survived by her mother, Pat Lautenschlager; her husband, Bill Rippl; her five children and step-children, Jason Rippl (Marnie Spielbauer), Josh Kaul (Lindsey Powell), Justin Rippl (Alicia), Ryan Kaul (Kelly Bridgeman), and Rebecca Johnson (Brandon); and five grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Elias Johnson, Simon Kaul, Emma Johnson, Henry Kaul, and Will Rippl. She was deeply proud of her children and step-children, and she delighted in playing an active role in her grandchildren's lives.
Peg was fiercely independent, a gifted orator, funny, and down-to-earth. She was a mentor and friend to numerous people who wanted to serve their communities.
In 2006, the Fond du Lac Reporter wrote that a "woman with the kind of tenacity and courage Peg Lautenschlager has shown in her fight with breast cancer, a woman who picks up the pieces and battles on, doesn't walk away." She never did.
A memorial service for Peg will be held in the Fond du Lac area, although details have not yet been finalized. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Blandine House, Inc., the ARC of Fond du Lac, Inc., or United For Diversity.
Kurki-Mach Funeral Chapel & Crematory is serving the family, www.kurkimachfuneralchapel.com. 920-921-4420
Published in Fond du Lac Reporter on Apr. 2, 2018
*********************
Taken from the Post Crescent March 31, 2018
Former Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, the only woman to hold the post, has died from cancer at age 62.
A mother of five, whose public service career spanned three decades, Lautenschlager died early Saturday surrounded by family at her home in Fond du Lac, her husband, Bill Rippl, said.
In addition to Attorney General, Lautenschlager, a Democrat, also served as a state representative, a local district attorney, and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
"She was a trailblazer for many women in Wisconsin politics, a loyal friend and true-blue Democrat," state Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) said in a statement, one of several issued Saturday as news of Lautenschlager's death circulated on social media.
"Peg was a trusted political mentor to many and was always willing to lend her insight, advice and enthusiasm to friends and family across the state," Shilling said.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Drake Roggensack called Lautenschlager "a leader in the law" who continued to serve the state after leaving office.
And former Gov. Jim Doyle said she "devoted her life and remarkable talents to public service."
"She was a trailblazer and a champion for the people of Wisconsin, a state she dearly loved," Doyle said.
A native of Fond du Lac, Lautenschlager graduated from Lake Forest College in Illinois in 1977 and earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1980.
She served as Winnebago County District Attorney from 1985 to 1988, again, the first woman elected to that post. She was elected to represent the Fond du Lac area in the state Assembly in 1988, ousting 32-year incumbent Earl McEssy. And she served until 1993 when she made an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress, narrowly losing to Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Petri.
Lautenschlager served as Attorney General from 2003 to 2007. In July 2016, she was appointed as the first commissioner of the newly formed Ethics Commission, from which she later resigned.
Fond du Lac - Peggy Ann ("Peg") Lautenschlager, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, died on March 31, 2018, after a battle with cancer that began almost 14 years earlier. The daughter of Fond du Lac public school teachers, Peg served as a district attorney, a state legislator, a United States Attorney, Wisconsin Attorney General, and the first Chair of the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. She had an impact on countless people, and it meant the world to her.
Peg was born on November 22, 1955, in Fond du Lac. She was the valedictorian of her class at Goodrich High School; a Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude graduate of Lake Forest College, where she majored in history and mathematics; and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Peg was appointed District Attorney of Winnebago County in 1985 and was elected to that position the following year. In 1988, she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, defeating a 32-year incumbent. Peg is the only Democrat to have been elected to represent the Fond du Lac area in the State Assembly in the last 75 years. She was re-elected in 1990.
In 1993, Peg was appointed by President Clinton to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. During her tenure, she served on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee under U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. Peg was the first Wisconsinite ever to serve on the committee.
In 2002, Peg was elected to serve as Wisconsin's 42nd Attorney General—the first woman elected to that position. As AG, Peg created a Public Integrity Unit, was a leader on environmental issues, and sued 36 pharmaceutical companies for reporting inflated drug prices. She prosecuted a man who was convicted of murdering six hunters and attempting to murder two others in northwest Wisconsin. She also issued an opinion concluding that Wisconsin law prohibits the exclusion of prescription contraceptives from benefit plans that provide prescription drug coverage.
After serving as Attorney General, Peg continued to advocate for causes that were important to her. She worked with the Service Employees International Union, fought for public access to the Wisconsin State Capitol during the protests of Act 10, and did pro bono legal work for young people in Fond du Lac. She also volunteered at Blandine House, a substance-abuse treatment center, where she was known for her home-cooked meals.
Peg is survived by her mother, Pat Lautenschlager; her husband, Bill Rippl; her five children and step-children, Jason Rippl (Marnie Spielbauer), Josh Kaul (Lindsey Powell), Justin Rippl (Alicia), Ryan Kaul (Kelly Bridgeman), and Rebecca Johnson (Brandon); and five grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Elias Johnson, Simon Kaul, Emma Johnson, Henry Kaul, and Will Rippl. She was deeply proud of her children and step-children, and she delighted in playing an active role in her grandchildren's lives.
Peg was fiercely independent, a gifted orator, funny, and down-to-earth. She was a mentor and friend to numerous people who wanted to serve their communities.
In 2006, the Fond du Lac Reporter wrote that a "woman with the kind of tenacity and courage Peg Lautenschlager has shown in her fight with breast cancer, a woman who picks up the pieces and battles on, doesn't walk away." She never did.
A memorial service for Peg will be held in the Fond du Lac area, although details have not yet been finalized. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Blandine House, Inc., the ARC of Fond du Lac, Inc., or United For Diversity.
Kurki-Mach Funeral Chapel & Crematory is serving the family, www.kurkimachfuneralchapel.com. 920-921-4420
Published in Fond du Lac Reporter on Apr. 2, 2018
*********************
Taken from the Post Crescent March 31, 2018
Former Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, the only woman to hold the post, has died from cancer at age 62.
A mother of five, whose public service career spanned three decades, Lautenschlager died early Saturday surrounded by family at her home in Fond du Lac, her husband, Bill Rippl, said.
In addition to Attorney General, Lautenschlager, a Democrat, also served as a state representative, a local district attorney, and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
"She was a trailblazer for many women in Wisconsin politics, a loyal friend and true-blue Democrat," state Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) said in a statement, one of several issued Saturday as news of Lautenschlager's death circulated on social media.
"Peg was a trusted political mentor to many and was always willing to lend her insight, advice and enthusiasm to friends and family across the state," Shilling said.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Drake Roggensack called Lautenschlager "a leader in the law" who continued to serve the state after leaving office.
And former Gov. Jim Doyle said she "devoted her life and remarkable talents to public service."
"She was a trailblazer and a champion for the people of Wisconsin, a state she dearly loved," Doyle said.
A native of Fond du Lac, Lautenschlager graduated from Lake Forest College in Illinois in 1977 and earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1980.
She served as Winnebago County District Attorney from 1985 to 1988, again, the first woman elected to that post. She was elected to represent the Fond du Lac area in the state Assembly in 1988, ousting 32-year incumbent Earl McEssy. And she served until 1993 when she made an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Congress, narrowly losing to Republican incumbent Rep. Tom Petri.
Lautenschlager served as Attorney General from 2003 to 2007. In July 2016, she was appointed as the first commissioner of the newly formed Ethics Commission, from which she later resigned.
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