Judy O'Bannon
| Judy O'Bannon Willsey | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| First Lady of Indiana | |
|
In role January 13, 1997 – September 13, 2003 |
|
| Governor | Frank O'Bannon |
| Preceded by | Susan Bayh |
| Succeeded by | Maggie Kernan |
| Second Lady of Indiana | |
|
In role January 9, 1989 – January 13, 1997 |
|
| Governor | Evan Bayh |
| Preceded by | Carolyn Mutz |
| Succeeded by | Maggie Kernan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Judith Mae Asmus April 30, 1935 Downer's Grove, Illinois, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) |
Frank O'Bannon (1957-2003; his death) Donald Willsey (2013-present) |
| Education |
Indiana University, Bloomington Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (attended) |
| Profession |
Chairman, The O'Bannon Publishing Company Host & Producer, Public Television |
Frank O'Bannon (1957-2003; his death)
Indiana University, Bloomington
Chairman, The O'Bannon Publishing Company
Judith "Judy" O'Bannon Willsey (born April 30, 1935) is the former First Lady of the State of Indiana, serving in that role from January 13, 1997 to September 13, 2003, during the administration of her husband Governor Frank O'Bannon. She has been a leader in community development and historic preservation throughout much of her life, including having helped launch and then serving as chair of the Indiana Main Street program, and serving on the boards of the Indiana Landmarks foundation, the Indiana State Museum and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She is also an Emmy-winning host and producer of the WFYI-TV public television series Communities Building Community and Judy O'Bannon's Foreign Exchange as well as several one-time specials.
Born Judith Asmus in Downer's Grove, Illinois, her family moved to Indianapolis while she was a child. O'Bannon is a graduate of Shortridge High School in Indianapolis. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor's degree in social work from Indiana University. She was selected as a Rockefeller Theological Scholar and was the first woman to attend the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Frank and Judy O'Bannon met on a blind date while both were at Indiana University. They were married on August 18, 1957 until his death on September 13, 2003. They have three children. On November 29, 2013, Judy married attorney Donald Willsey.
O'Bannon served as First Lady of the State of Indiana from January 13, 1997 until September 13, 2003. As First Lady, she led initiatives that were an outgrowth from her life-long advocacy and work in community development, historic preservation, education and the arts. During her husband's first term, O'Bannon launched the Hoosier Millennium: Communities Building Community initiative to encourage citizens across the state to use the upcoming calendar change of a new millennium as an opportunity to strengthen Indiana communities, asking "Who we are? Where have we come from? and What do we want to be in the future?." O'Bannon delivered Hoosier Millennium toolboxes to communities and organizations throughout the state, traveling in a motor home wrapped in the initiative's logo, with space around the bottom for individuals to sign their names at each stop. Cities, towns and organizations throughout the state launched community programs as part of the Hoosier Millennium initiative, ranging from downtown revitalization to presentations of Hoosier heritage like the "Ages of Agriculture" production at Purdue University. and the Indiana Department of Transportation's Hoosier Roadside Heritage Program featuring wildflowers and native plants along the state's highways. With broad participation by communities throughout the state, in 2001 the initiative was renamed Indiana 2016 and encouraged Hoosiers to set goals for "Where they want to be in 2016" when the state would celebrate its bicentennial.
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Wikipedia