Hall of Fame: Christel Marquardt
Photo by Rachel Lock
In an era where a woman’s place was in the home, Christel Marquardt not only broke the glass ceiling—she shattered it.
As a dedicated mother to four boys, she waited until her youngest son started school and then set out to follow her own dream: becoming an attorney. Somehow she managed to juggle raising her boys, taking care of the home and the rigors of law school.
“It never felt like she was doing something out of the ordinary,” recalls her son, Andrew Marquardt. “We watched her come home from class, make dinner, check our homework, and then spend time studying. She never made law school seem that hard given how she juggled everything in her life. Of course it was hard, and as one of three women in her class it was nice she graduated high in her class.”
As trailblazers know, paving the way for others often means hard work and struggle for those clearing the path. After graduating from Washburn School of Law in 1974, Christel found that female attorneys weren’t exactly in high demand in the male dominated profession. Her case load consisted mostly of domestic issues, and it wasn’t long before she developed a thriving practice in domestic law.
“She was a pit bull for women who needed someone to look out for their interests and protect their rights,” Andrew said.
Suffering emotional trauma from the death of her oldest child, who was only 21 at the time, coupled with dealing with her marriage ending, Christel maintained her resolve and dedicated herself to
her practice, women’s causes, and making a difference in her community, Topeka.
CRACKS IN THE GLASS
She transitioned from her role as local domestic attorney to a resounding voice for women on a national level. She became a mentor for women business owners and pioneered several women’s organizations that sought to combat discrimination in the workplace.
As her practice grew, so did her reputation for advancing social justice for women. And recognition started pouring in. Christel received the Kansas Bar Association’s President’s Outstanding Service Award in 1980. She was designated as Topeka’s Woman of the Year in 1982 and was named one of the 10 top businesswomen
from throughout the United States by the American Business Women’s Association in 1985.
In 1986, Christel decided she wanted to take more of a leadership role and run for president of the Kansas Bar Association. The firm she was with at the time didn’t provide the support she knew she needed to be successful, so she left that firm and joined the firm of Palmer, Marquardt & Snyder.
She also became first woman president of the Kansas Bar Association that same year.
BREAKING THROUGH
In 1994, Christel and Andrew formed Marquardt & Associates, L.L.C. in Fairway, Kansas. She only had a year to enjoy working with her son before she left the firm behind for a place on the bench. Governor Bill Graves appointed Christel as a judge with the Kansas Court of Appeals, a position she held for 17 years.
And the accolades kept piling up.
In 1999, she received the Jennie Mitchell Kellogg Circle’s (a statewide association of Kansas women attorneys) Attorney of Achievement Award for professional excellence and commitment to service. In 2000, the Kansas Bar Association awarded Judge Marquardt the Phil Lewis Medal of Distinction which is the highest award given by the association. In 2002, Washburn University School of Law awarded Judge Marquardt the Distinguished Service Award.
Christel served on numerous committees and boards. She was a member of the American Bar Association Board of Governors and was State Delegate for several years. She was a past chair of the Washburn University Board of Regents and past chair of the Washburn University School of Law Board of Governors. She served on the Board of Governors of the Topeka Symphony and many other civic organizations.
With each award, Christel only seemed to grow more appreciative of the journey that preceded.
“Every acceptance speech mom gave, she would start with the struggle,” Andrew said.
INNER STRENGTH
The daughter of an immigrant father from Germany, Christel knew the meaning of struggle and hard work. Growing up on a farm, she didn’t have a choice to be anything but tough. Andrew notes that she always emphasized that it is the struggles in life that make you appreciate what you already have and drive you to become something better. That drive to make a difference in the world fueled her resolve to bridge the gap from the role of women in the 1950s to where they are today, fighting discrimination and advancing social justice for women.
“Here is a person who came from little, who was able to parlay a great attitude and hard work into a rewarding life that gave her purpose,” Andrew said.
As life seemed to hurl Christel from one struggle to the next, music grounded her. She was incredibly gifted and could play any number of instruments, but it is the piano that Andrew credits with bolstering everyone’s spirits in the home. In her early years, she led the church choir, sang, and played the church piano at services. She loved the Topeka Symphony, served on the board for several years, and introduced her love of classical music into the home.
“We always knew how much our mother loved classical music,” Andrew said.
LEGACY LEFT BEHIND
Christel’s advocacy for women’s rights and social justice will go down in history. She was recognized as a force for change in workplace discrimination, equal pay and furthering women’s causes. While the accolades were nice, at the end of the day, Andrew says, that wasn’t why she did any of it.
“Mom appreciated what the struggle meant,” Andrew said. “She fought every day to help other women achieve their goals, whether it was business, law, education, or just mentoring them. Knowing she played a part in lifting other women into a better situation was the best reward of all.”
While she will always be hailed as a trailblazer, her most precious legacy lies in the family she adored.
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