Memories of Maggie Daley

Maggie Daley had legions of friends and admirers, and among them are the suburban leaders who occasionally saw her at conferences, dinners or charitable events. In the wake of her death Thursday, the Daily Herald asked several of them to recall her.

‘Always had a smile'

“Such a great lady,” said Arlington Heights Village President Arlene Mulder, who saw Maggie Daley at regional and national events. “Charming, pleasant and extremely intelligent. We would talk sometimes about issues mayors were dealing with, and she always had her opinion. Even in these last few months she always had a smile and said she was doing OK. She always cared about young people or all people. She was a humanitarian.”

Held her own with state mayors

Schaumburg Mayor Al Larson sat at a table with Maggie Daley at dinner during a U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C. Mayor Richard Daley would take the Illinois mayors out to dinner during the conference, Larson said, but the mayor would sit at a different table than his wife, knowing she was able to hold her own with the others in attendance.

“The impression I had then was of a terrifically sweet lady — a beautiful lady with a sweet smile,” Larson said. “I think gracious with a capital ‘G' is how I'd describe it.”

Gallery 37 an inspiration

Rita Mullins, former Palatine mayor, said Maggie Daley's “Gallery 37” (established to promote arts training for Chicago students) was an inspiration to every mayor in the United States and around the world.

“For the children, it gave them jobs in the summer, taught them how to create something and to be an entrepreneur, to sell it. How do you price art? They had access to so many things that enriched the children's lives and people who live and work in Chicago and all around.”

‘Very special, dedicated lady'

Former Buffalo Grove village president Elliott Hartstein said he was impressed by the support Maggie and Richard Daley gave each other in their high-profile lives.

“She was just a very special, dedicated lady,” Hartstein said of Maggie Daley.

“She was just a tremendous lady. She loved the city and Rich was devoted to her,” Hartstein added. “I know she will be greatly missed.”

‘Tremendous affection'

Aaron Elster of Lincolnshire is a Holocaust survivor who met Maggie Daley several times at talks he gave about a book he wrote.

“I thought she was an absolutely wonderful person,” he said. “I developed a tremendous affection for the woman because of what she stood for.”

‘No two people loved Chicago more'

Richard Duchossois, chairman of Arlington Park, called the Daleys “two of the finest people I have ever met. They certainly both loved Chicago and knew every inch of the place. They beautified and turned around the city.

“I don't think she had an enemy in the world. She was very diplomatic and supported the mayor every step of the way. No two people ever loved Chicago more.”

— By Daily Herald staff writers Debby Donovan and Eric Peterson