Brenda Edgar is the wife of former Governor Jim Edgar. Born Brenda Smith in Tuscola, Illinois, she met her future husband at Eastern Illinois University in 1966. Married on April 21, 1967, she raised two children while helping her husband with his political career, first as Secretary of State from 1981-1991 and then as governor. In 1991, Mrs. Edgar became the First Lady of Illinois, where she took on adoption and children and women's issues as her special passion.
Interview Links
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Early years & marriage to Jim Edgar
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Wife of the Secretary of State and Governor of Illinois
Interview Session 03 (Audio)
Years following Jim Edgar's service as governor
Transcript