Lake County loses a pioneer
A public servant for parts of five decades, F.T. "Mike" Graham was a pioneer of Lake County's open-space movement.
Fearing rampant development, the longtime Libertyville Township supervisor and county board member was passionate about protecting land for future generations.
"He could see the urbanization and the growing trend of development," county board member and Graham ally Carol Calabresa said Sunday.
"He was not only concerned about preserving natural resources, but also the costs (of development) to the citizens of Lake County," added Calabresa, of Libertyville.
Graham died Saturday at the Winchester House nursing home in Libertyville. He was 80.
Born in Gurnee, Graham graduated from Warren Township High School in 1945. He attended Blackburn College in downstate Carlinville and Western Michigan University.
He moved to Libertyville in 1956 and never left.
Graham once worked a salesman at Miller-Krueger Dodge in Libertyville, and he was active with the Cardinal Stritch Council of the Knights of Columbus and other organizations.
But he was best known for his political service.
Graham served as Libertyville Township's supervisor twice, from 1969 to 1989 and again from 1997 to 2003. He also spent 18 years on the county board and the forest board, which consist of the same members.
Graham's efforts to fight development and preserve green space in Lake County -- through both the forest district and township -- dated back to the 1970s.
Arguably his greatest success was the 1985 creation of the Libertyville Township Open Space District, the first such district in Illinois. The district has since bought more than 1,500 acres that's now used for sports fields and trails and has undergone ecological restoration.
A grove of trees on some of that land now bears Graham's name.
His land-preservation efforts weren't limited to the Libertyville area.
"Many people in Lake County enjoy forest preserves now that were purchased while Mike was on the board," said Andy Kimmel, the forest district's deputy executive director.
At times, however, Graham was regarded as overzealous in his pursuit of land preservation, including his use of condemnation to protect private land from development.
Libertyville Township fought -- and lost -- many lawsuits during his administration.
Among Graham's critics was Libertyville business owner and political activist Jack L. Martin. On Sunday, Martin said his prayers go out to Graham's family.
A stroke and other health issues prompted Graham to withdraw from political life in 2002. He was succeeded as township supervisor in 2003 by Betty-Ann Moore, who still holds the post.
It was difficult for Graham to leave politics, Moore said.
"He relished the role, no doubt about it," Moore recalled. "He enjoyed the battle and he enjoyed the give and take of public debate."
Graham's survivors include two children, eight grandchildren and a sister.
Visitation is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Burnett Dane Funeral Home, 120 W. Park Ave., Libertyville. Prayers will be said there at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, too.
A funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Church, 121 E. Maple Ave., Libertyville. Interment will follow at Ascension Cemetery.
Instead of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, 116 N. Lake St., Mundelein, IL, 60060; or the Liberty Prairie Conservancy, 32400 N. Harris Road, Grayslake, IL, 60030.