Dear Second District Hoosiers:

Today, we celebrate Jackie’s 59th birthday. It has also been two weeks since her sudden passing that also took the lives of Zach Potts, Emma Thomson and Edith Schmucker. Typically, Jackie enjoys spending her birthday by our backyard pool, visiting with family and friends, and enjoying a slice of her favorite treat, Key Lime Pie. This year, we will celebrate her beloved life and legacy and reflect on her memory and time here on earth before she was perfected.

As a tribute to Jackie on her birthday, our families would like to take a moment to extend our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for the outpouring of support we have received from far and wide since the tragic loss of our beloved Jackie.

Thanks to Jackie’s passion for public service, we have enjoyed the incredible privilege of meeting 2nd District residents, businessowners and families over the past several years—ranging from Jackie’s service as State Representative through her last nine years in Congress. We have met you on parade routes, been welcomed into your homes and toured your businesses alongside Jackie to get to know you and learn more about your stories. There was nothing more important to Jackie than spending time with her constituents, and through her years of devotion we have all been blessed to be included in your lives and form cherished memories from our time together.

We had a front row seat to watch Jackie as she took action to help Hoosiers and Americans with their struggles and challenges—ranging from feeding the hungry to passing key legislation in Washington to support our veterans and men and women in uniform. She was a tireless advocate for her district and was keenly devoted to immersing herself in our communities. From the factory floors of our manufacturing companies to our local farms, she was dedicated to representing your voice in Washington and protecting the faith and livelihood of our families.

After spending countless hours, traveling thousands of miles, attending a myriad of events and sharing lasting memories with 2nd District Hoosiers, we want to thank you all for supporting Jackie and being part of her incredible journey.

Jackie has returned home to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. While we know she will always be watching over us, we will miss her terribly and have found peace from celebrating her life and legacy with you over the past several days. As we celebrate her 59th birthday today, your efforts will continue to give us strength as we remember her.

From the bottom of our hearts, we are grateful to each one of you for your outreach, stories and kind words about Jackie. She was a daughter, wife, sister, aunt, friend, public servant, and inspiration who had a high impact on so many. 

Thank you and may God Bless you all. And, Happy Birthday, Jackie!

Sincerely,

Dean Swihart, Martha Walorski and our families