He helped put Lindenhurst on the map

Robert Ray Ratch wasn't born and raised in Lindenhurst, but he certainly considered the village home.

Mr. Ratch was determined to make Lindenhurst just as good as the surrounding communities of Antioch, Gurnee and Lake Villa. Because of his drive, he is considered by many as the reason for the village's success.

"Some people thought he was crazy," said Village Administrator Jim Stevens. "But Bob Ratch's hard work made his dream for Lindenhurst come to fruition, and people were impressed. He had a unique and special love for the community."

Mr. Ratch died Sunday at Midland Hospice House, in Kansas, after a lengthy illness. He was 75.

He served as Lindenhurst village trustee from 1971 to 1975 and 1981 to 1983. In 1983, he was elected mayor and served until 1991.

Stevens said it was Mr. Ratch who decided the village needed an administrator and an engineer.

"He was convinced Lindenhurst needed a professional staff, and they needed to shoot much higher than what was expected," Stevens said. "It was a controversial road, doing what he did. But he did it in short order and he pulled it off."

In his corporate life, Mr. Ratch worked for Allstate Insurance Company in Northbrook. He retired as state filings director in 1994.

After retirement, Mr. Ratch was appointed to the Lake County Economic Development Commission from 1984 to 1990. He served on the Lake County Regional Planning Commission from 1991 to 1996.

Mr. Ratch was also a veteran of the Air Force and served during the Korean War.

Visitation for Mr. Ratch is today, 3 to 7:30 p.m. with a service following at Marsh Funeral Home, 305 N. Cemetery Road, Gurnee.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Nancy, two daughters and several grandchildren.

Lake County Board Chairman Suzi Schmidt met Mr. Ratch in 1981, when he hired her to run the village's recreation department.

"Bob's first love, next to his family, was definitely the village of Lindenhurst," Schmidt said. "I remember him saying if we're going to control Lindenhurst's destiny, we have to have our own sewer plant. He was always thinking ahead."

Schmidt said she always liked Mr. Ratch, though sometimes they didn't see eye to eye, particularly with Schmidt's push to purchase forest preserve land.

"He said if I wanted so much open land, I should move to Montana," Schmidt said. "From then on, I called him Montana Bob. I even had a button made for him at Lindenfest. I liked to rub it in."