Public viewing for Waukegan state Rep. Washington Tuesday

A public viewing for State Rep. Eddie Washington, 56, who died of a heart attack Saturday, will take place in Waukegan Tuesday.

The viewing will be held at 1 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church at 800 S. Genesee St. The burial will take place in Washington's hometown of East St. Louis, Ill.

"Eddie is already missed because of the all the little things he did for our

family," said Flor Luis-Washington, Washington's widow. "We were planning a

trip to Arizona and Eddie was really looking forward to just getting away. We (his family) are just in shock and can't believe that he was taken so quickly from us. I would like to thank everyone who has expressed their condolences."

Washington was a married father of seven and had served in the Illinois General Assembly since 2003. He represented the 60th Illinois House District, comprised of mostly Waukegan, North Chicago and Park City. The first African-American legislator from Lake County, state Sen. Terry Link called him a "trailblazer" in local politics.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 9 at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in East St. Louis, with Pastor H.L. Watson officiating. Interment will be at Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Belleville, Ill.

For more information, call (618) 874-9225.