Convalescent center named in honor of retired DuPage judge

The DuPage County Convalescent Center in Wheaton soon will bear the name of a retired judge who recently pledged to donate $2 million to the facility.

County board members on Tuesday voted 13-4 to name the county-operated nursing facility in honor of Ken Moy of Hinsdale. The resolution was approved a month after Moy announced his planned contribution to the convalescent center foundation.

"I am confident Ken Moy's legacy will be to inspire people to become involved in our community, and his generous gift will kickoff our capital campaign for the convalescent center," county board member Jim Healy said in a statement released after the vote.

The convalescent center offers long-term care and short-term rehabilitative services for hundreds of patients, most of whom are on Medicaid.

Moy said his wife's battles with Alzheimer's disease prompted him to make the donation to the 368-bed facility along County Farm Road.

He said he wants to make a lasting impact and help other families. He also hopes to inspire others to donate to the facility.

"Our population is aging, and we need this help," Moy said after Tuesday's vote.

He said he wasn't expecting county board members to name the convalescent center after him. When he heard the news, he said he was "gratified and humbled."

DuPage Convalescent Center Foundation officials say Moy's donation will be the largest the group has received. The foundation was established in 1993 to provide support and supplemental funding to improve the quality of life for residents at the facility.

Robert Larsen, chairman of the county board's health and human services committee, said in a statement that Moy's donation will help ensure the future stability and mission of the center.

"I can't think of a more important community legacy," Larsen said.

Moy served as a DuPage judge from 1996 until his retirement in 2007. He previously served as a member of the county board, winning election in 1984, 1988 and 1994.