Pennie Von Bergen Wessels
Pennie Von Bergen Wessels | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 73rd district | |
| In office January 1993 – January 1995 | |
| Preceded by | David Deets |
| Succeeded by | Jerry L. Mitchell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Pennie Von Bergen March 19, 1949 Sterling, Illinois |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Michael Wessels |
| Residence | Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina |
| Alma mater | Northern Illinois University (B.S.) University of Illinois (J.D.) |
| Profession | Teacher Attorney |
Pennie L. Von Bergen Wessels (born March 19, 1949)[1] was a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives for a single term from 1993 to 1995. She was raised in Sterling, Illinois. She attended Sauk Valley Community College[2] and transferred to Northern Illinois University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in education. She later attended University of Illinois College of Law where she earned her juris doctor. She served as a member of the Whiteside County Board from 1984 until 1988 and as a director of the Citizen Utility Board.[1] In 1988, she ran for the Illinois Senate, losing to Republican incumbent Calvin W. Schuneman.[3]
She was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1992 defeating appointed Republican incumbent David Deets.[4] She was elected to represent the 73rd district, which included all or parts of Bureau, Henry, Lee, Ogle, and Whiteside.[5] Her legislative priorities included education, health care, senior citizen interests, and agriculture with special emphasis on equitable education funding and health care reform.[6]
She served on the following committees; aging; agriculture and conservation; appropriations-education; healthcare and human services; and public utilities.[1] She was defeated for reelection in 1994 by Jerry L. Mitchell. She later lost a rematch with Mitchell in 1996, before being elected to the Sauk Valley Community College Board of Trustees in 1997. She has since retired and moved to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c 'Illinois Blue Book 1991-1992,' Biographical Sketch of Pennie Von Bergen Wessels, pg. 87
- ^ "Outstanding Alumni Recipients - SVCC Foundation - Sauk Valley Community College". www.svcc.edu. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
- ^ "More Choices for Illinois Senate". Chicago Tribune. October 21, 1988. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ "More Choice for the Illinois House". Chicago Tribune. October 21, 1992. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ Wheeler III, Charles N (1992-11-30). "Redistricting '91: the World Series of Illinois politics". Illinois Issues. Northern Illinois University Libraries. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
- ^ "New members of Illinois House – The issues they view as most important to constituents and state". www.lib.niu.edu.
- ^ Von Bergen Wessels, Pennie (July 8, 2016). "Congrats to elected officials willing to 'look'" (Letter to the Editor). Letter to Sauk Valley Media. Archived from the original on July 10, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
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- 1949 births
- Living people
- People from Sterling, Illinois
- People from Brunswick County, North Carolina
- Northern Illinois University alumni
- University of Illinois College of Law alumni
- Women state legislators in Illinois
- Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
- County board members in Illinois
- 20th-century American women politicians
- 21st-century American women
- 20th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly