Bridget Hartigan Routh, Daughter of Illinois politico worked for Bill Clinton, 36
deb...@comcast.net
July 23, 2006
BY SHAMUS TOOMEY Staff Reporter, Sun Times
Bridget Hartigan Routh was the youngest daughter of famed Illinois
Democrat Neil Hartigan -- but she went on to make a name for herself.
The fun-loving, energetic woman served as an assistant to President
Bill Clinton in the 1990s, traveling the world to organize and promote
White House initiatives. She also worked under Treasury Secretary Lloyd
Bentsen and Commerce Secretary Ron Brown.
In recent years, after returning to Chicago, she served as the regional
director of the American Ireland Fund, running the group's local office
and assisting with a $100 million local capital campaign.
Mrs. Routh, who battled melanoma for the last three years, died in her
family's Rogers Park home Saturday. She was 36.
"She was extraordinary -- very bright, very energetic, very sensitive
and very courageous," said Hartigan, the former Illinois attorney
general. "I've always heard about the strong Irish woman. She's the new
definition of that."
Following her death, the family received a host of condolence calls --
including from Clinton and his wife, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton
(D-N.Y.), Hartigan said.
Mrs. Routh had first suffered from cancer 15 years ago after noticing a
spot on her leg while attending Georgetown University, her father said.
The cancer returned in 2003, with her diagnosis coming just seven weeks
after her mother, Marge, died from lung cancer.
Mrs. Routh had married the previous winter, wedding Thomas P. Routh of
the law firm Borth & Routh LLC in Chicago. Her husband was her rock
during her cancer battle, her family said, helping her get through 12
major operations in the last three years.
Hartigan, who was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court in 2002,
resigned his post in 2004 to support his daughter in her fight.
Mrs. Routh was born on Valentine's Day 1970 -- a red-haired Valentine's
baby. She was the youngest of four children.
After attending Georgetown, she traveled to Little Rock, Ark., intent
on joining the campaign of a governor who had eyes on the White House.
She was one of the original "girls in the basement" for Bill Clinton,
her father said, a group that did the grunt work on Clinton's
successful campaign.
She served on Clinton and Vice President-elect Al Gore's transition
team before taking a job at the Commerce Department following the
inauguration. She was an intergovernmental liaison and managed the
day-to-day activities and travel of the commerce secretary.
In April 1994, she moved to the Treasury Department. She later was an
aide at the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, an election
coordinator in California for Clinton's re-election effort in 1996 and
a celebrity and talent scheduler for the inauguration.
She was also a member of the national advance staff for the White
House, assisting and planning the official and personal activities and
events for the president and first lady.
In 1997, she became director of special events and public relations for
the World Trade Center Chicago. In 1999, she became Chicago regional
director of the American Ireland Fund, a network dedicated to raising
funds to support programs of peace and reconciliation, arts and
culture, education and community development throughout Ireland.
She also served as co-chairwoman of the Special Olympics, among other
work.
"She truly believed in what she did; she believed in helping people,"
her husband said. "She was modest about her accomplishments. She was
not somebody who would tell you all of the things she had done, but she
did have some war stories."
Friends and family noted that, despite a busy schedule, she stayed
close with friends from childhood, high school, college and beyond.
"She kept her friends together," said Mary McCauley Clark, a close
friend for 32 years. "Through good times and bad. She was a very
determined girl."
Alexa Kapsalis Clarke, another longtime friend, said: "She had a huge,
big heart. She was very vivacious -- the most fun person to be with."
She is survived by her father; sisters Laura Hartigan Jenkins and
Elizabeth Connelly, and brother John.
Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at John E. Maloney Funeral
Home, 1359 W. Devon.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Ignatius Church, 6559 N.
Glenwood.
wazzzy
the Clinton association death toll continues to rise
ashleybell...@hotmail.com
Bridget was a friend of mine, and it saddens me to think that you would
be so disrespectful and selfish as to pollute her obituary posting.
Shame on you! You need to get right, and forget the hatred. WWJD?
Not that. Get over it.
My condolences to Laura and her father, brother, sister and husband.
Bridget will be missed...a light has gone out in Chicago, and we are
worse off for it. Ashley
King Daevid MacKenzie
> Bridget was a friend of mine, and it saddens me to think that you would
> be so disrespectful and selfish as to pollute her obituary posting.
> Shame on you! You need to get right, and forget the hatred. WWJD?
> Not that. Get over it.
...for too many of the "WWJD" crowd, that actually translates to "What
Would Judas Do?"...
--
King Daevid MacKenzie, WLSU-FM 88.9 La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
heard Sundays 8:00 A.M. PST/PDT over KRFP-LP 92.5 Moscow, Idaho and at
http://www.krfp.org/documents/listen_windowsmedia.asx
archived in mp3 at http://www.radio4all.net
http://www.myspace.com/kingdaevid
"You can live in your dreams, but only if you are worthy of them."
HARLAN ELLISON
ashleybell...@hotmail.com
hmss...@aol.com
Really? THAT'S what you have to say in the face of the loss of a truly
remarkable, inspiring and extraordinary woman?
Ashley's not alone, many of us out here are her friends. I'm here to
tell you that none of the amazing things we could say about her will
ever do her justice. She's not a punchline for an anonymous cheap
shot.
That said, as angry I was upon being confronted with your callous,
inhumane disregard of a woman's passing and the enormous loss we all
feel, I've since been inspired and mellowed by our departed friend and
now have the peace of mind to say that I feel sorry for you. Anyone
who could respond the way you did lacks something important.
Maybe you've never had someone in your life as remarkable as Bridget.
I do hope you will someday. I think that if you do, you'll be inspired
do better.
-- Scott