[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 109 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2213-S2214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING MARY ANN LAMM

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, earlier this month, my state of Illinois 
lost one of our most dedicated public servants. Her name was Mary Ann 
Lamm. She was a trailblazer and a changemaker in Illinois politics. 
Most importantly, she was a dear friend of mine.

[[Page S2214]]

  During her many decades of service to our State, Mary Ann made 
history as the longest serving county recorder in Sangamon County. And 
really, it is no wonder why she was elected--and reelected to this 
position a record-breaking eight times. Every single day, Mary Ann 
lived up to the motto that she created, and affixed to the letterhead 
for the county recorder's office: ``Public Service. Working for you.''
  And Mary Ann's tenacious spirit was only surpassed by her 
selflessness. Even though she was a giant in Sangamon County, there was 
no problem too small for her to solve. Whether you were starting a 
business or buying a home, her doors were always open--and she was 
always ready to help. From making sure your paperwork was filed on 
time, to protecting your personal financial information, Mary Ann 
mastered the complexities of local government to make it work for the 
people. Mary Ann also was a pioneer in building a bench of political 
talent in Central Illinois. And today, there is a generation of leaders 
throughout our State who look to her legacy as the model for public 
service.
  Like me, before moving to Springfield, Mary Ann was born and raised 
in East St. Louis. And to really understand how she developed her 
tireless work ethic, look no further than her mother Dorothy, who 
worked past the age of 100. Dorothy was a warden for the Sangamon 
County jail--and would even prepare meals for her fellow employees and 
county prisoners. Like Dorothy, Mary Ann not only had incredible 
culinary talents, she used those talents to bring people together 
through delicious, home-cooked meals.
  Mary Ann's career in public service began in 1963. At the age of 25, 
she was elected clerk for the village of Southern View, located smack 
dab in the heartland of Illinois. With fewer than 1,500 residents, 
Southern View was the perfect proving ground for Mary Ann's neighborly 
approach to public service. Whenever you needed her help, it was all 
hands on deck. Four years later, Mary Ann made her way to Springfield, 
where she was elected capital township trustee. And it was during this 
period that the two of us met for the first time. We were fast friends.
  When I first ran for office, Mary Ann was one of my most loyal 
supporters--and was among the first of my friends to help dust me off 
after a tough loss. And she was also among the first to celebrate in 
1982, when I won my race for Congress.
  And Mary Ann always had a way of bringing people together. Whenever 
she hosted an event, just about everyone in town would show up--and not 
for the networking opportunities, but the food. She would prepare a 
seemingly endless supply of her homemade mostaccioli, a fan favorite. 
People would practically leap from their seats to get a taste. And 
everyone would leave with a full belly, along with a home-baked 
brownie, gently placed atop a napkin, for the road.
  As I mentioned, the crown jewel of Mary Ann's career in public 
service was the 32 years she served as Sangamon County Recorder. As 
county recorder, she ushered the office into the digital age, leading 
the transition from microfiche and microfilm to modems and modern 
computing. Under Mary Ann's leadership, the county recorder's office 
emerged as a nimble, accessible public asset that all of our residents 
in Sangamon County rely on to this day.
  Whenever I campaigned with Mary Ann, I was always surprised by not 
only how many people knew her, but how eager they were to shake her 
hand. She was humble, hard-working, and a hero to everyone she 
represented. Everything she touched, from every political campaign, to 
every elected office she held, turned to gold. She was one-of-a-kind 
and extended kindness to everyone who crossed her path.
  Loretta and I join Mary Ann's children Robert, Therese, and Melissa; 
her grandchildren Laura, Alyssa, Nick, Libby, Eric, and Sophia; her 
siblings Bob, John, Ginny, Kepp, and Tom; and all of her nieces and 
nephews in mourning her loss. We miss you dearly, Mary Ann, and I speak 
for everyone in our State when I say: Thank you for your service.

                          ____________________