DuPage County Board mourns death of member J.R. McBride

The life of the DuPage County Board has passed away.

J.R. McBride, who represented county board District 4, died early Friday morning at his Glen Ellyn home after a long battle with cancer. He was 47.

Friends used words like "funny," "smart" and "gregarious" to describe McBride, an insurance broker who had served on the county board since 2006.

"We're all going to miss him," fellow board member Grant Eckhoff said. "He was the life of the county board."

McBride was serving as chairman of the county board's legislative committee. He previously served as chairman of several other panels, including the county's Emergency Telephone Service Board.

During his time on the board, colleagues say, McBride was an advocate for common-sense government reforms, considering the needs of residents and taxpayers first when taking a vote or position on an issue.

County board Chairman Dan Cronin said McBride was witty and would use humor to expose the silliness or the phoniness of an issue.

"J.R. had no patience for things that were not real, not genuine," Cronin said. "He had no tolerance for hypocrisy or insincerity. He was a guy who was always devoted to doing the right thing, and he just made our lives and our jobs a little bit more fun. I will miss him dearly."

McBride, who graduated from Fenwick High School in Oak Park and Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, worked as an insurance broker with McBride Insurance Agency.

A county statement noted that McBride was "an enthusiastic community volunteer," who raised thousands of dollars for area nonprofit organizations such as Misericordia Heart of Mercy in Chicago.

McBride was a founding member of the Jubilee Board which raised funds for Outreach Community Ministries in Wheaton.

He was also actively involved in various organizations, such as the Metropolitan Family Services of DuPage, Rotary Club, DuPage Chapter of the American Cancer Society, and the Glenbard West High School Booster Club.

McBride's county board district covers all or parts of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lisle, Lombard, Wheaton and Winfield.

Cronin said McBride was the best kind of public servant.

"He took a personal responsibility for his neighborhood and his community and his district," Cronin said.

McBride also was deeply committed to his family. Colleagues say he was a dedicated husband to his wife, Becky, and a devoted father of five children, Lauren, Molly, Abigail, Sara and Marty.

"His family was first and foremost," county board member Jim Zay said. "There was nothing more important to J.R. than his family and his kids. The political stuff would be second. Family came first."

Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Drechsler Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St., Oak Park. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Giles Church, 1045 Columbian Ave., Oak Park.