Born May 3, 1940 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the first woman to hold the position in Illinois of second in command of the House General Assembly, Barbara Flynn Currie died April 16, 2026. 

Barbara was married to David P. Currie, a constitutional scholar and professor at University of Chicago Law School. They were parents to two children.

Barbara served for forty years in the Illinois House. Known for her sense of humor and warm personality, she was an inspirational trailblazer in Springfield.