Dolores S. Recht, 80, a lifelong Republican activist and founder of a GOP women’s organization in Chicago, died Friday, Feb. 8, in an area hospital.
Mrs. Recht founded the Northwest Republican Women of Chicago in 1962, serving as its president three times and on its board of directors until her death, a family member and colleague said.
A lifelong resident of Chicago, Mrs. Recht worked on political campaigns, including Richard Ogilvie’s run for Cook County Board president in 1966, said her daughter, Leslie, who was in Ogilvie’s administration as head of the state Industrial Commission when he later became governor.
In addition to supporting candidates and being a committeewoman for what was then the 38th Ward, Mrs. Recht was a consummate researcher, said Ann Kuck, the current president of the organization. Mrs. Recht researched issues involving the educational system in Chicago, global warming and drilling in Alaska–all with an eye toward countering what the organization felt was a liberal bias in the media, Kuck said.
Mrs. Recht also sought out conservative books on a wide range of topics, which the organization donated to local public libraries, Kuck said.
In addition to her passion for Republican issues, Mrs. Recht, a University of Chicago graduate who studied political science, had a passion for architecture and was an accomplished painter, her daughter said.
Mrs. Recht was as a docent for the Chicago Architecture Foundation for many years.
Mrs. Recht is survived by five more children, Susan, John and Michael Recht, and Emily Johnson and Elizabeth Jones. Services have been held.
