Longtime Bensenville school board member dies

People who knew Craig Weldon best weren't fooled by his businesslike manner.

The longtime Bensenville District 2 school board member, who was known for being frugal with taxpayer money, also was beloved for his sly sense of humor.

Weldon, 53, died Tuesday after succumbing to a rare form of cancer, which his family said he battled for several years. He served on the District 2 board since 1999 and was re-elected to a four-year term in 2007.

"He was just a very caring individual and an all-around good guy," board President Patty Reyes said. "He had joke after joke. Sometimes he would tell a story so seriously and you'd buy it. But there would be a twist at the end, and he would be laughing. You could always count on him for a good laugh."

Weldon was a real estate broker for more than 20 years at Mathisen Realty in Wood Dale and operated Tomato's Pizza in Bensenville for 21 years. In addition, he served as a Bensenville auxiliary police officer from 1982 to 2002.

Because of his business background, Reyes said he served as the District 2 board treasurer since 2003. She said Weldon always put students' interests first, but never wanted to be wasteful.

"He would always question or second guess anything the administration would do with spending," said Reyes. "He was very frugal."

Weldon and his wife, Stella, were District 2 residents for more than 30 years. They also raised two children, Alex and Nicole, who attended District 2 schools.

In honor of his longtime community involvement, the Bensenville village board earlier this month honored Weldon with a proclamation declaring Dec. 8 Craig Weldon Day.

In addition to his contributions to District 2, the police department and local business, Weldon was a charter member of the Bensenville Chamber of Commerce and a 1974 graduate of York High School.

A memorial Mass for Weldon will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 28, at Holy Ghost Church. Memorial visitation is 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 27, at The Oaks Funeral Home, 1201 E. Irving Park Road, Itasca.

For details, call (630) 250-8588 or visit theoaksfh.com.