Wife of a former Palatine mayor dies after being hit by truck

The widow of former Palatine Village President Robert J. Guss Jr. died early Thursday morning after being hit by a truck while trying to cross Northwest Highway on her way to church.

Aida Guss, 73, of Palatine, was walking south across Northwest Highway at the Benton Street intersection when she was struck by a red 2007 Toyota Tundra driven east by a 43-year-old Schaumburg man just after 6 a.m., said Palatine police Cmdr. Craig Lesselyoung.

Lesselyoung said it's unclear who was at fault when the accident happened and that the department's crash reconstruction unit will likely continue its work through Friday.

This is the second fatal accident this week that Palatine police are investigating. Nicola Masellis, 89, of the 4800 block of West Waveland Avenue in Chicago, died early Monday morning after he was a passenger in a two-vehicle crash at Northwest Highway and Martin Drive on Sunday night. No one has yet been charged in that collision either.

Aida Guss was married for 49 years to former Robert Guss, who died of natural causes in October 2007 at the age of 72.

Aida and Robert Guss had eight children, 25 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The Gusses' son, Robert III, is married to the daughter of fellow former Palatine Village President Rita Mullins, who was village clerk while Robert Jr. was on the council.

A tearful Mullins said Thursday that Aida Guss was a generous woman who worked for the nearby St. Joseph Home for the Elderly, and was on her way as always to the 6:30 a.m. Mass at St. Theresa Catholic Church.

"She was a very giving person, a sweetheart," Mullins said. "I'll miss her very much, as I'm sure everyone else will."

Mullins' daughter, Amber, spoke with the mother superior of the St. Joseph home Thursday morning about her mother-in-law's giving spirt.

"I'm sure she went to heaven, because if she didn't, I don't know who does," Amber Mullins said. "She's a saint. I would make fun of her when she went to confession. I'd ask her what she had to confess."

Though much attention was given to Aida's husband Robert during his time in office, not everyone realized the importance of Aida's role, Amber Mullins said.

"She was the power behind the spotlight," she said of Aida. "She did everything for everybody. She was so selfless."

Word of the tragedy spread quickly among the St. Theresa congregation Thursday, and prayers were even said for Aida during the same 6:30 a.m. Mass she intended to be at.

"We are just absolutely shocked to hear about what happened this morning," parish Business Manager Gail McCusker said. "She has many friends who go to the 6:30 a.m. Mass. She was a devout Catholic woman and she will be dearly, dearly missed."

Co-workers at St. Joseph Home for the Elderly, which is run by Little Sisters of the Poor, were also grieving.

"She has been here since the early '70s," Assistant Director of Development Diana Olson said. "She was the sweetest, most wonderful woman. She's a seamstress and she would make the sisters' habits," she said, referring to the head coverings the nuns wear.

When Olson began working at the home eight months ago, she said Aida Guss was among the first to reach out to her.

"She was one of the first people who knew my name and made me feel so welcome," Olson said. "I had lunch with her just last Friday."

Aida's late husband, Robert Guss Jr., was a Palatine councilman from 1973 to 1977 and served as village president from 1977 to 1985. He is credited with leading the effort to bring Lake Michigan water to Palatine as well as establishing today's full-time fire department.

The couple also owned Village Cobbler Shoe Stores on Northwest Highway in Palatine and at the Ice House Mall in Barrington which they closed in 1997.

After Thursday morning's accident, Aida Guss was taken from the scene to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, where she was pronounced dead, Lesselyoung said.

Police shut down both eastbound lanes of Northwest Highway for about two hours while the accident was investigated. Lesselyoung said the lanes reopened after 8:30 a.m. Because the driver of the pickup truck has not been charged, his name is being withheld by police.

Funeral services are pending.

• Daily Herald staff writer Lee Filas contributed to this report.