Former Carpentersville trustee Frost dies after long illness
Some people talk about change, but James Frost was the type of person who made change happen as a dedicated member of various Carpentersville boards and commissions.
Frost, 76, died Wednesday at Sherman Hospital in Elgin after a long illness, friends and relatives said.
"He was a kind and gentle spirit who went out of his way to help people and didn't expect anything in return," daughter Tracey Massie said. "He was genuine and honest, and we're really going to miss him."
As village trustee, Frost was instrumental in moving various projects forward, including the construction of the fire station on Sleepy Hollow Road, the village's wastewater treatment plant, as well as the sidewalk and street reconstruction program that sought to correct years of neglect.
"It is easy to talk about things, but it is another to get involved and take the criticism and stick it out," said Richard Sisler, a friend of 25 years who served on the zoning board of appeals with Frost. "He did that and I admired his dedication to the village. He walked the walk."
An accountant by trade, Frost joined the village's zoning board of appeals in 1992. He served on the board of appeals until 2003, when he ran and was elected to the village board. Frost served for one term but was ousted in the April 2007 election. He was later appointed to the planning and zoning commission and was still an active member.
Fellow board members looked to Frost as a voice of reason during a tumultuous period for the village.
"I always thought he was a really good moderator," said Village President Ed Ritter, who served with Frost as trustee for two years. "He was able to get in the middle and get the two sides together. Jim was just a great guy to have around."
Born in Chicago, Frost grew up in the Dundee Township area and attended Dundee High School where he met his wife of 53 years, Lorraine. The couple had two daughters and a son.
"I want people to remember Jim as a gentleman who loved his family," Lorraine Frost said. "He was a wonderful husband."
Before his various village-related roles, Frost served in the U.S. Army as a specialist from 1957 to 1959 in Verdun, France. Frost was also was an active member of St. Catherine of Siena and the Dundee Jaycees, where he started the soapbox derby.
Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Miller Funeral Home, 504 W. Main St. A funeral service will be from 9 a.m. Monday until the time of Mass at 10 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 845 W. Main St., West Dundee.