Helping plan the future of Arlington Hts. was his passion

Arlington Heights has an award-winning downtown area, cited as a prototype by other cities. But what many may not realize is the seeds to its change go back to the 1960s and some innovative village leaders.

Fred R. Ainslie served on the plan commission in Arlington Heights from the late 1950s through 1971, helping to guide the village's planning during years when the village would triple in population -- and implement its central business district changes.

Mr. Ainslie passed away Thursday. The former 30-year resident, most recently of Sparta, Wis., was 93.

When Mr. Ainslie began his tenure on the commission, he attended meetings in the village's municipal building on Vail Avenue, which dated back to 1930 and now is home to a Jewel Foods Store.

During his meetings, he reviewed plans for the village hall that opened in 1962, and where he eventually served as chairman of the plan commission.

"My dad loved being involved and taking an active role with his community," says his son Thomas, of Glendale Heights.

During his years of service, the village board, led by President John Woods, looked at ways to revitalize its downtown and traveled to area cities to gather ideas.

"What we finally decided was to raise the (building) height limitation, in an effort to increase foot traffic in the downtown," says Norval Stephens, an Arlington Heights trustee from 1960 to 1964. "And you can see what resulted from that.

"Once we changed the zoning code," he added, "it all had to be implemented by the plan commission."

Mr. Ainslie grew up on a farm in Grand Lodge, Mich., and attended Michigan State University, earning a degree in electrical engineering. He pursued a master's degree at Ohio State University, where he met his future wife, Betty, a journalism student.

The couple married in 1939, and Mr. Ainslie started his engineering career with U.S. Gypsum.

When World War II erupted, Mr. Ainslie was commissioned as an artillery officer, serving in North Africa, Italy and southern France, before being awarded the Bronze Star.

His work with U.S. Gypsum took the couple to plants in Southard, Okla., and Plaster City, Calif., where the gypsum was milled, before he transferred to the corporate office in Chicago.

The family moved to Arlington Heights in 1948, and Mr. Ainslie steadily moved up the ladder at U.S. Gypsum, until he held the role as head of its engineering department.

"Arlington Heights was a tiny little place when we moved there," says his daughter, Diane Diederich of Minocqua, Wis.

While Mr. Ainslie leant his engineering and planning know-how to the growing village, his wife worked as a journalist. Betty Ainslie wrote a weekly column in the Daily Herald for 17 years.

Along with his municipal involvement, Mr. Ainslie also served as a precinct captain for the Wheeling Township Republican organization and was an early member of Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church.

Besides his son and daughter, Mr. Ainslie is survived by his wife of 68 years, Betty, his sons, Michael of Minetonka, Minn., and William of St. Paul, Minn.; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Services have been held.