Mount Prospect village clerk dies of cancer

Lisa Angell, Mount Prospect's village clerk and a village employee for the past 28 years, died Monday of pancreatic cancer.

Angell, 62, was diagnosed about a year ago, but colleagues said she remained upbeat and kept working at village hall - which was just a short walk from her home - until a few weeks ago.

"If you didn't know Lisa was sick, you wouldn't know she was sick," said Trustee Michael Zadel. "She would never bring it up. When she found out, she was very optimistic that she was going to beat this."

And she always had a saying, Zadel remembered, "Every day is a blessing, live life to its fullest."

Angell began working for Mount Prospect's Public Works Department as a solid waste coordinator and worked her way up to become clerk in 2005. The position is not an elected one in Mount Prospect, but a full-time job. Angell's duties included taking notes at public meetings, handling voter registration and responding to Freedom of Information Act requests.

"She just brought something very special to the workplace," Zadel said. "She was very dedicated, she loved the village and she loved this community so much. She will be missed."

Angell also was dedicated to her two children, Brian and Kathryn, who both went to Prospect High School.

"She was just an amazing person, an all-around friend to everybody in the village," said Mayor Arlene Juracek. "She treated every resident the same - with a smile on her face and a helpful attitude."

Even as Angell got sicker, she kept coming to work with a variety of colorful headscarves, Juracek said.

"She just continued to soldier on in her job and keep up a wonderful attitude," she said. "She was a constant presence in the village. She will be dearly missed."

Funeral services for Angell are pending.