Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH WEBSTER - Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels paid tribute to the late Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller and Jean Northenor Monday night as the keynote speaker at the 50th Kosciusko County Republican Party Hall of Fame Dinner.
Dane is a founder of Biomet, and the Millers did much for the communities of Winona Lake and Warsaw and beyond. Northenor was a former Kosciusko County GOP chairwoman, auditor and banking executive who also co-founded Kosciusko Leadership Academy.
Daniels, who noted he hasn’t attended any political dinners in the last dozen years after accepting the job of president at Purdue University (retiring in January 2023), said he accepted to speak at the Kosciusko GOP Dinner after Chairman Mike Ragan “pushed three buttons.”
“He mentioned that you were honoring Dane and Mary Louise, and then he said, ‘I’m calling because Jean Northenor asked me to.’ Actually, Jean didn’t used to ask people. There were a lot of people asking me to run for public office; Jean told me I was doing it,” he said, in part, during his 30-minute speech.
He heard someone use the words “giants” earlier to describe the Millers and Northenor, which was an apt term.
“Dane Miller, who stands in the long tradition of the entrepreneurs, the tinkiers, the bold men and women who built the greatest economy the world’s ever seen - he’s very much in my mind in the tradition of Fulton and Whitney and Edison and people like that. He performed, to me, one of the greatest potential acts of citizenship: He created opportunity and jobs for others through the free enterprise system we are blessed to have,” Daniels said.
Mary Louise was a “fantastic” citizen in her own right, he continued. “Her heart was so huge. If you think it was only Warsaw, Winona Lake, Kosciusko County - which she loved and did so much for - if you think that’s where her generosity, interest in others stopped, you didn’t know Mary Louise. Her heart was big enough for the whole world.”
When we think about great citizens, Daniels said, they are comprised of those qualities: enterprise and the impulse to build and create, generate hope and opportunity for other people, sharing in the benefits and the blessings that come with great success, and making time and effort for the difficult work sometimes of public life.
“These three people, you could not choose here or somewhere in our state three finer people to honor. I could not say no to that opportunity to make an exception for what has been, up to this point, a 13-year rule,” Daniels said.
He also talked about the late District 2 U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, who died in 2022.
“She was always imbued with exactly the spirit that I know animates everybody in this room. Politics is not about winning elections, it’s a means to an end, it’s about what you do when you get there. Jackie was always looking for the next step forward and how she could help,” Daniels said. “If it wasn’t for Jackie Walorski, we would not have succeeded in the deal of the century: the lease of the Indiana Toll Road, because of which you can get from here to Indianapolis in a half-hour faster on (U.S.) 31; because of which, 24 is no longer the statistically most dangerous road in the entire state; because of which, CNBC every year picks Indiana as No. 1 in infrastructure after all the rebuilding we did, the new projects we did.”
He said Walorski was gutsy and so committed to politics for “all the best of reasons.” He said she’s not far from his thoughts.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita also paid homage to Northenor during parts of his 20-minute speech.
Before presenting the Man and Woman of the Year Awards, Central Committee Secretary Austin Rovenstine honored the late Kosciusko County Councilman Mike Long, who also died earlier this year. There’s a plaque at the GOP headquarters with names of individuals who died who were great Republicans. Long’s name has been added to the plaque.
“Mike was a model councilman. He was tough. He drew attention to issues he cared about, and he drew people into the process, so I want to make sure we honor him tonight, too,” Rovenstine stated.
The Man and Woman of the Year Awards was the brainchild of Northenor, he continued. Reading from a 1976 press release about the awards, Rovenstine said, “The purpose of this event ... was to honor individuals for their dedication, support and work in the party and their contributions to good government.”
The award has been given to governors, Congressman, state legislators, but Rovenstine said he always the award was best given to those who work behind the scenes without recognition or glory to make the community a better place.
“That is the case with this year’s Woman of the Year,” he said in presenting the 2025 Woman of the Year Award to Patty Yarian, who has been recognized by the Indiana Federation of Republican Women for her exemplary service.
In accepting the award, Yarian said, “I’m just sad I haven’t been in the (GOP) office much this year because of health reasons, but I do appreciate this and I love my party and I praise God for the Republican Party. Thank you so much.”
The 2025 Man of the Year Award was presented to former County Councilman Jon Garber, who served his community for over 50 years in various roles.
“He developed a reputation as a humble public servant who worked well with his colleagues and earned their respect and admiration. He ran for office because he wanted to use his gifts to better serve the community, not because he wanted a title on a resume. He didn’t need the job. In fact, all things considered, he probably would have rather been on a boat somewhere,” Rovenstine said.
Garber said those who know him know he’s a man of few words. He thanked everyone for the award.
Earlier in the dinner, Kosciusko County Women’s Club President Ashley McGinnis presented the Jackie Walorski Award to Warsaw Common Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins. The award recognizes individuals in remembrance of Walorski for their inspiration to generations of leaders.
Upon accepting the award, Dobbins said, “Thank you so much. This really means a lot. I have served as president for the Women’s Club for several years. Jackie was always terribly supportive, not just of us women but of everyone. I just don’t know what to say, thank you.”
