Indiana Rep. Walorski’s work called “mission” during funeral

Aug 10, 2022, 8:47 AM | Updated: Aug 11, 2022, 4:30 pm


              People attend the burial service for late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Mourners look on as the procession of vehicles for late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski arrive at Granger Community Church for a funeral Mass on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              A mourner bows his head as the procession of vehicles for late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski arrive at Granger Community Church for a funeral Mass on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Mourners look on as the casket of late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski is carried into Granger Community Church for a funeral Mass on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              People watch during the burial service for late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Mourners attend the burial for late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              The coffin of late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski is seen at the burial service held at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Mourners attend the burial service for late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              The procession of vehicles for late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski arrive at Granger Community Church for a funeral Mass on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              People watch during the burial service for late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              The burial service for late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski is held at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Mourners attend the burial service for late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              The coffin for late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski is saluted while being carried by a horse-drawn carriage at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski during her burial service at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Mourners look on as the procession of vehicles for late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski arrive at Granger Community Church for a funeral Mass on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              A mourner bows his head as the procession of vehicles for late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski arrive at Granger Community Church for a funeral Mass on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              The procession of vehicles for late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski arrive at Granger Community Church for a funeral Mass on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Mourners look on as the casket of late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski is carried into Granger Community Church for a funeral Mass on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Family, military and local law enforcement stand as the casket of late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski is carried in ahead of the public visitation on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022 at Granger Community Church in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)
            
              Family, military and local law enforcement stand as the casket of late U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski is carried in ahead of the public visitation on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022 at Granger Community Church in Granger, Ind. Walorski is killed in a car accident in her northern Indiana District on Aug. 3. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)

People attend the burial service for late Congresswoman Jackie Walorski at Southlawn Cemetery, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in South Bend, Ind. Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. (Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)

(Chloe Trofatter/South Bend Tribune via AP)

GRANGER, Ind. (AP) — Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week.

Numerous members of Congress were among several hundred mourners for the nearly two-hour service at Granger Community Church near Walorski’s northern Indiana home.

Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy spoke about Walorski’s work as a Christian missionary in Romania with her husband, as the director of a local humane society and as a television news reporter before entering politics.

“Tell you the truth, Jackie never had a job. She always had a purpose and a mission,” McCarthy said.

Walorski, 58, was in an SUV with two members of her congressional staff on Aug. 3 when it crossed the median of a northern Indiana highway for unknown reasons and collided with an oncoming vehicle, according to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office.

Walorski, her 27-year-old staffer Zachery Potts, of Mishawaka, who was driving, and her 28-year-old communications director, Emma Thomson, of Washington, D.C., all died, as did the woman who was driving the other vehicle.

Potts was Walorski’s district director and the Republican chairman for northern Indiana’s St. Joseph County.

Walorski was first elected to Congress in 2012 after six years in the state Legislature and was seeking reelection this year in the solidly Republican district.

Much of Walorski’s funeral highlighted her Christian faith, with her husband, Dean Swihart, an elementary school music teacher, playing saxophone with other musicians as they performed several hymns.

Republican Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri recalled becoming friends with Walorski after they first joined Congress at the same time and lived in the same Washington apartment building for many years.

Wagner choked back tears as she called Walorski “one of the best.”

“Jackie was a no-nonsense, get it done and move it or lose it woman of strength and intense integrity,” Wagner said.

Walorski was active on agriculture and food policy in Congress, often working across the aisle on those issues. A co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, she introduced legislation with Democrats to bring back a Nixon-era White House event on food insecurity.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said Walorski loved the country and was proud of her home area.

“One thing about Jackie, her step was always sure, her step was always forward,” Holcomb said. “She was optimistic and enthusiastic and, yes, energetic.”

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Indiana Rep. Walorski’s work called “mission” during funeral