While the governor reflects on this past year, it’s been pretty busy for the first lady, too. Jessica Doyle is busy these days with the public tours of the holiday decorations at the governor’s mansion. The first lady says she’s seen people from all over the state, country and even from overseas, and by far, their favorite tree is the Tribute to Troops. “This is the fourth year we’ve had Tribute to Troops. Military families have sent in ornaments dedicated to a loved one and it’s really very moving.”
Mrs. Doyle says when nobody’s around she likes to look at all the ornaments and read all the personal messages that Wisconsin families have written to their loved ones serving in the military. Participants in a mentoring program for kids of incarcerated parents visited the executive residence the other day. Mrs. Doyle says those special tours are dependent on the public tours. “Public tour people are invited to donate a new or like new book.” She says of one special tour, “We had so many books donated and collected that everybody got a chance to take three books home.”
Mrs. Doyle has a lot to celebrate this year, including their son’s marriage, Christmas, the new year, Governor Doyle’s reelection and their 40th wedding anniversary earlier this week. “Think of that,” the first lady giggles, “four decades to the same person!”
Mrs. Doyle says she’s looking forward to having a real nice quiet Christmas reconnecting with her family, because very soon after the holidays they’ll have the excitement of the inauguration and the festivities that go along with that.