Joanne Maxwell provided a voice for the political emergence of the far western suburbs as a journalist, consultant and public relations executive, delivering a carefully crafted understanding of social and voting trends with her trademark candor.
Mrs. Maxwell, 71, a force in DuPage County Republican politics who also helped direct a number of candidates to the state and national stage, including House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Yorkville, died Thursday, June 20, of breast cancer in her Naperville home.
“The first time I ran for politics I was told in this district that you better get Joanne Maxwell,” said Hastert, who was first elected to a seat in the Illinois House in 1980. “She knew everybody. She had the network. She had a lot of political savvy. She had a passion for politics.”
Former state Rep. Jack Kubik, a longtime friend, said, “If you were lucky enough to get advice from Joanne, you knew it was going to be straight and to the point. It didn’t matter if you were running for library board or governor, she gave it to you with the bark off.”
Mrs. Maxwell’s interest in politics was homegrown. She encouraged her mother, Phoebe Dutcher, to become active in Republican politics and, in 1960, Mrs. Dutcher became the first woman elected to countywide office in DuPage County, defeating an incumbent to win the office of recorder of deeds.
After graduating from Monmouth College in 1953, Mrs. Maxwell began her journalism career at the Glen Ellyn News. After serving as president of the DuPage County News Service, in 1956 she became editor and owner of the Naperville Clarion. Among the honors Mrs. Maxwell received for her work, she became the first woman named “Editor of the Year” by the Illinois Press Association.
In 1964 Mrs. Maxwell turned her focus directly on politics and served as the campaign manager for John N. Erlenborn’s election to Congress. Serving as Erlenborn’s chief of staff and executive assistant, Mrs. Maxwell became a key behind-the-scenes player whose work included assisting the careers of now-retired federal Judge William J. Bauer and now-retired U.S. Rep. Harris Fawell. They were among a group of leaders she helped establish as the suburbs began their dominance of Republican politics.
“We were the `young upstarts’ in those days,” Mrs. Maxwell recalled shortly before her death, “but we had fun, built lifelong friendships and did some great things.”
Mrs. Maxwell merged her understanding of public opinion and political trends in the suburbs with the new technology of computerized voter databases and direct-mail campaigns on behalf of candidates and public officials.
After Fawell’s election to Congress in 1984, Mrs. Maxwell launched a full-time public relations and consulting business called “Attention! Inc.,” using it as a platform over the next 16 years to play a role in public policy and private business.
Mrs. Maxwell also was the founder and first president of the Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Series, a program that helps educate Republican women about government and public policy as well as campaign strategy for winning public office.
“She was very good at what she did and she made it look easy because she worked harder than anyone else,” said Lynn Martin, former U.S. labor secretary, who had served as a congresswoman from the Rockford area.
Mrs. Maxwell served on the Monmouth College Board of Trustees, Illinois Humanities Council and as ethics officer for Lisle Township. She was a member of Illinois St. Andrews Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, Illinois Mennonite Historical Society, Glen Ellyn Stamp Club, Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae, the Calusa Land Trust Museum of the Islands (Pine Island, Fla.) and Pine Island Art League.
Mrs. Maxwell is survived by her husband, Donald; daughters Donna Jo Maxwell Ruscik and Barbara Lee Maxwell Cherep; and three grandchildren.
Services are private.
