Mary Jo Arndt

Mary Jo Arndt (; September 18, 1933 – September 24, 2011) was an American activist and civic leader involved in Republican politics. She was president of the Illinois Federation of Republican Women and in 1982, she was elected to the Illinois Republican Committee representing the 6th congressional district. Between 1998 and 1999, she was president of the National Federation of Republican Women. She was described by the Chicago Tribune as "arguably the state's most influential Republican woman operative". The family relocated first to Elgin and then to Lombard, Illinois. She met Paul W. Arndt, a veterinary student from DeKalb, through a mutual friend while he was passing through Lombard. They had three daughters: Georgianne, Kristi and Kerri.

Political career Arndt served as a Young Republican volunteer for Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign. She first joined the York Township Republicans during the early 1970s, defeating the judge John J. Bowman for the seat. She then founded the Illinois Republican Women's Roundtable in 1989 and the Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Series, which provides scholarships to women who chose to study government and politics.