First Campton Hills clerk was dedicated, creative
Carolyn Higgins, who served as the first village clerk in Campton Hills since its incorporation in 2007, died March 30 after a battle with cancer.
Higgins, 62, was first elected village clerk in February 2008 and later signed a petition for a ballot question on whether to dissolved the village.
The measure to undo the village ultimately failed and despite her views, village officials said Higgins logged long hours as clerk, balancing her duties with another job.
"She stepped into a pretty difficult role," said Campton Hills Trustee Jim Kopec. "All of us were struggling with trying to run a village. She did her best to live up to the responsibilities as clerk. (She) spent a lot of long evenings getting minutes and all of the clerk's responsibilities (completed). It's a shame she didn't have the opportunity to finish out her term."
Higgins was re-elected in spring 2011, and her term expires in spring 2015.
Higgins tendered her resignation Feb. 28, with it taking effect two weeks later on March 14.
Village officials have named Juliette Paul, the village's former deputy clerk, as interim clerk.
"Until a couple months ago, she attended meetings when she was obviously in pain and she was suffering," said Village Attorney Bill Braithwaite. "She was dedicated. The nature of the job is it does take quite a lot of time to do and a lot of detailed work."
Efforts to reach her husband, Al, were unsuccessful Tuesday.
Carleen Bart, the office manager at Congregational United Church of Christ, of which Higgins was a longtime member, said Easter banners Higgins made for the church several years ago would be brought out a week early and hung for a Saturday service for Higgins.
Higgins also was a member of a Corvette club, so her 1990s Corvette also will be at the church.
"She was very artistic and creative," Bart recalled.
A celebration of Higgins' life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Congregational United Church of Christ, 40W451 Fox Mill Blvd., Campton Hills.
Visitation and a luncheon will follow the service. For more information, call the church at (630) 584-0929.