Community mourns passing of Lake County Vice Chair Mary Ross-Cunningham
Longtime Lake County Board Vice Chair Mary Ross-Cunningham, a tireless voice for constituents and others who needed assistance, has died.
Her son, Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham, shared the passing of the family's “beloved matriarch” on social media Tuesday afternoon.
“Vice Chair Cunningham was the bedrock of our family, a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and guiding light,” he wrote.
“To the community, she was a towering figure in public service, a visionary leader, and a fearless trailblazer,” he continued.
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, in a statement, described Ross-Cunningham as “bigger than life” and a “tireless public servant and a devoted champion of Waukegan, Lake County and the entire region.”
“She had a remarkably big heart that she opened to me and everyone she worked with,” he wrote.
“She fought every day to ensure that residents had access to affordable housing and quality healthcare, and she was an unwavering voice for those experiencing homelessness,” Schneider added.
Ross-Cunningham was elected to the county board in 2002 to represent District 9, which includes portions of Waukegan and North Chicago.
She was elected by peers in 2016 as board vice chair — the first Black woman to serve on the board’s leadership — and held the position until her passing.
Besides serving as vice chair, she served on dozens of committees and commissions and was chair of the board's law and judicial and diversity, equity and inclusion committees. She listed jobs and affordable housing as priorities on her county profile and was known as an advocate for all.
“It's a huge, huge loss,” said county board Chair Sandy Hart. “She fought for everybody.”
As vice chair, she successfully championed the establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a fixed holiday for employees and was the county’s representative to the National Association of Counties, among other roles.
Before serving on the county board, she spent 29 years caring for veterans at the Veterans Affairs hospital in North Chicago.
“Her passion for serving veterans, families and underserved communities remained a driving force throughout her life,” Lake County said in a statement.
Sam Cunningham said his mother “championed the underserved, advocated tirelessly for equity and justice, and broke barriers with unmatched determination.”
“While we mourn this immense loss, we also celebrate a life beautifully and purposefully lived,” he added.