County Commissioners honor Jackie Walorski with honorarily road naming

The Marshall County Commissioners approved their piece of a joint resolution on Monday honoring former Congresswoman Jacke Walorski, who was killed in August 2022 while visiting the district. 

The joint resolution with the County Council honorarily names Michigan Road (Old U.S. 31) from the Saint Joseph County line to the Fulton County line in her honor.  A ceremony will be held on Sunday, August 17^th, recognizing what would have been Walorski’s 61^st birthday.   

Commissioner Jesse Bohannon brought the resolution to the commissioners and said, “Jacke Walorski had a great impact on a lot of us. She was a close personal friend and mentor and largely responsible for me getting involved in running for office.”

This resolution does not officially change the name of Michigan Road, so citizens won’t have to alter their mailing addresses. However, it will allow special signage to be placed along the road to celebrate Walorski's life perpetually.

The county commissioners unanimously approved the resolution, which will be sent to the County Council for consideration at their meeting on April 14^th.       

The resolution read by Bohannon during the meeting follows:

Whereas Jacqueline R. Walorski (referred to as “Jackie Walorski”) served Marshall County as our Representative in the United States Congress from January 3, 2013 to August 3, 2022.

Whereas Jackie Walorski served Marshall County in multiple development roles at AncillaCollege;

Whereas Jackie Walorski’s career of public service included leading a local Humane Society and four years in overseas Christian mission work;

Whereas Jackie Walorski and her husband, Dean Swihart, started a foundation to provide food and medical supplies to impoverished children in Romania;

Whereas Jackie Walorski served Michiana in the Indiana General Assembly as State Representative from 2005 to 2010;

Whereas Jackie Walorski was elected to the US House of Representatives for the Second Congressional District in 2012, where she was a leader in strengthening programs for foster youth and children involved in the child welfare system, and providing effective and compassionate services to Armed Forces veterans;

Whereas Jackie Walorski was a champion for Hoosiers, known for her leadership on issues impacting small businesses, manufacturing, agriculture, and the opioid crisis, all vital to Marshall County;

Whereas Jackie Walorski formed strong relationships with her constituents and public officials alike: tenaciously resolving constituent issues and intentionally encouraging and teaching a

generation of leaders across northern Indiana to impact our community, state and nation;

Whereas Jackie Walorski was known for making everyone she met feel seen, heard and valued;

Whereas Jackie Walorski lived her life with integrity, endurance, passion for public service, and optimism and never wavered in her commitment to God, family, country, and Indiana;

And, whereas, Jackie Walorski tragically lost her life while performing constituent service in our district on August 3, 2022;

Now, therefore, be it Resolved that effective Sunday, August 17, 2025, in honor of Jackie Walorski’s 61st birthday, the portions of Old US 31 (Michigan Road) under the jurisdiction of Marshall County are hereafter dedicated to her memory and shall be honorarily marked “Jackie Walorski Road” from the St. Joseph County Line to the Fulton County Line.