Former Lake Barrington president Connie Schofield dies at 81

Connie Schofield, who served as Lake Barrington village president from 1997 to 2005, died last week at age 81.

"The entire Village of Lake Barrington has been deeply saddened by the news of Connie's passing," said village President Kevin Richardson, who was her successor.

Schofield also served as a trustee from 1991 to 1997 and again from 2009 to her retirement from the board last August.

"From her efforts to modernize the Pepper Road Business Park through the installation of a new water and sewer system to her key role in enacting our village's first residential sprinkler ordinance to her highly effective leadership in crafting our groundbreaking intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Wauconda that assured the protection and ongoing monitoring of the water quality in Fiddle Creek, Connie always saw the big picture and understood the importance of doing things that would benefit the village in the long-term," Richardson said in a news release.

"Connie also did an outstanding job in leading the design and construction efforts of the village's recreational and open space facilities at Freier Farm - something that will benefit residents for decades to come."

Schofield was on the board of the Barrington Area Council of Governments, serving as chairwoman from 1999 to 2000. She was a director of the board of the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County during the 1990s, serving as chair of the 40-member board from 1999 to 2004. She also served on the board for Barrington Area Council on Aging.

"All who worked with Connie treasured her remarkable spirit, grace and enthusiasm. Her love of her family and her dedication to her community leaves a lasting legacy that family, friends and colleagues will admire and benefit from for years to come," Richardson said.

Survivors include her husband of more than 60 years, Thomas E. Schofield Sr.; a son and three daughters; and 15 grandchildren.

The Schofield family has asked that donations be directed to the Cuba Township Food Pantry. Services have been held.