Prominent Northwest suburban deaths of 2016
Lee Alfano: Had a 30-year career with the Des Plaines Police Department including seven as chief, during which the department investigated the 1978 disappearance of teenager Robert Piest - ultimately leading to the arrest of mass murderer John Wayne Gacy. Died June 15, age 92.
Peggy Anderson: A 1956 graduate of Arlington High School, Anderson was a features writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer when she published “Nurse” in 1978, which eventually sold more than 2 million copies. In 1981 it became a TV series starring Michael Learned. Died Jan. 17, age 77.
Lisa Angell: Mount Prospect beloved village clerk, who worked for the village for 28 years. Died Oct. 17, age 62.
Maggie Atcher: Schaumburg's former first lady, Maggie was the widow of the village's second mayor, “Singing” Bob Atcher, and his musical partner in his WLS “National Barn Dance” radio and TV shows. Died July 19, age 88.
John Boler: Longtime Inverness resident and the sitting chairman of the board of The Boler Company, Boler was known equally for being a successful businessman and for his philanthropy. Died March 4, age 81.
Bill Brimm: Longtime former village administrator in Buffalo Grove, described by one colleague as the “glue that held the village together.” Died Nov. 8, age 67.
Jim Conway: For four decades a well-known radio and TV broadcaster in the Chicago area, whose WLS-TV morning show was the template for “Good Morning America.” Lived his later years at an assisted living facility in Buffalo Grove. Died Jan. 22, age 94.
Carl Couve: Mayor of Rolling Meadows from 1991 to 1995 also spent years on the plan commission and zoning board and 10 years on the city council. Died March 7, age 84.
E. Allan Englehardt: Former chairman of Chicago Executive Airport, he was a pilot and flight instructor who helped convince the FAA to raise the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots from 60 to 65. Died May 9, age 69.
Donald Gould Sr.: Former Prospect Heights Fire Protection District fire chief and father of the current chief, started out with the then-volunteer fire department in 1959 and worked his way up to chief in 1968. Died Jan. 22, age 88.
Paul Green: Renowned expert of Chicago and Illinois politics, author, columnist, analyst and director of the Institute of Politics at Roosevelt University. Died Sept. 10, age 73.
Vern Hagenbring: Son of the founder of Hagenbring's general store in downtown Arlington Heights, he steered the business for decades, and played Santa for generations of Arlington Heights children. Died Dec. 2, age 99.
Phyllis Harmon: A bicycling legend in Wheeling and around the world, Harmon was inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in 2009. Died Aug. 26, age 99.
Corey Hindes: Owned the North Arlington Barber Shop at 130 E. Rand Road in Arlington Heights, which has operated in the village since 1970. Died Sept. 18, age 54.
Thomas Keating: The Streamwood Park District board's vice president and a five-time past president, the CPA is credited with helping keep the district on sound financial footing. Died Dec. 17, age 53.
Randall Knudsen: A former English teacher and debate coach at Prospect High School, where he taught for more than 25 years. Died Sept. 17, age 72.
Mary Krigas: Former president of the Elk Grove Township Elementary District 59 school board, serving four terms and providing leadership during uncertain times. Died March 1, age 71.
Marvin Lipofsky: A Barrington native who became one of the world's most renowned blown glass artists, Lipofsky was also the grandson of the founder of Lipofsky's Department Store in Barrington. Died Jan. 15, age 77.
Barbara MacArthur: A pioneer of organic farming and the widow of former trustee Alexander MacArthur, she also is credited for helping establish Barrington Hills' strong stance on land conservation and environmentalism. Died Sept. 12, age 82.
Karsten “Cash” Mahlmann: Former chairman of the Chicago Board of Trade, the Barrington Hills resident helped convince Congress to reauthorize the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Died Feb. 8, age 78.
Abner Mikva: He was President Bill Clinton's lawyer, a respected federal judge, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and creator (with his wife, Zoe) of the Mikva Challenge, a civic leadership program for Chicago youth. But before all that he was Congressman Abner Joseph Mikva of the old 10th district, representing North and Northwest suburbs as one of the most reliably liberal voices in Washington. Died July 4, age 90.
Richard “Mac” McCoy: McCoy and his wife, Pat, sent more than 28,000 care packages to troops through their Palatine-based organization, the Yellow Ribbon Support Group. Died Dec. 8, age 77.
Debby Miller: A strong advocate for libraries and intellectual freedom, she was a member of the Schaumburg Township District Library board for more than four decades. Died July 23, age 78.
Jack Mulqueen: A children's television pioneer, puppeteer and producer, Mulqueen and his wife, Elaine, dreamed up “The Mulqueen's” for WGN-TV in 1965 and later “Mulqueen's Kiddie-A-Go-Go” for WLS-TV and WCIU. Of Bartlett, he cowrote the “Golden Age of Chicago's Children's Television” in 2005. Died Feb. 21, age 83.
Nick Papanicholas Sr.: A master builder from Mount Prospect, his contracting firm completed the Mount Prospect Ice Arena, projects for more than 35 local school districts, the pools at all five District 211 high schools and more. Coached youth sports for more than 20 years. Died Dec. 20, age 68.
Frank 'Bud' Paschen: Part of a four-generation family building legacy that had a hand in many of the great construction projects in the Chicago area, including renovations at O'Hare International Airport and widening and reconstruction of portions of I-90 and I-294 and work on the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway. Died Dec. 12, age 80.
Guy Patterson: Nine-year member of the Streamwood Village Board, Patterson also was a Streamwood Park District commissioner for eight years, three as president. Died June 5, age 65.
Roberta Rapata: Co-owner with Tim O'Connor of the Catlow Theater and Boloney's Sandwich Shop, two iconic businesses in downtown Barrington. Died Aug. 28, age 57.
Donald Rose: Rolling Meadows' city attorney for 44 years, he had a hand in every important decision affecting the city between 1961 and 2006. Was also the first president of the booster club at Rolling Meadows High School. Died July 13, age 85.
Barbara Ryan: Executive director of the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce for a decade, an enthusiastic advocate for the city and its business community, who opened up the chamber to local nonprofits and organizations as well as for-profit businesses. Died July 23, age 68.
Brother Leo V. Ryan: He taught the world over, but Brother Ryan was on the committee that planned St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights and later was its first president. Died June 22, age 89.
Margaret Schlickman: The founding chairwoman of the Arlington Heights Housing Commission and a member of that board for 27 years, she was a passionate advocate for the homeless and for affordable housing. Worked on the legislative staffs of both U.S. Sen. Charles Percy and U.S. Rep. John Porter. Died July 1, age 86.
Dr. Michael B. Schroeder: Former Wheeling Township supervisor and briefly an interim Arlington Heights village president, Schroeder “was the real definition of a public servant,” says current Arlington Heights Village President Tom Hayes. Died May 8, age 61.
Charles “Chuck” Serchuk: Longtime Elk Grove Township highway commissioner and a fixture in the Elk Grove Township Republican Organization, Serchuk also had a hand in creating the GOP organization picnic, now a mainstay among Northwest suburban Republican township organizations. Died March 12, age 81.
Joe Sernett: A Hoffman Estates resident, in 1981 Sernett founded the Woodfield Area Children's Organization, a nonprofit that helps needy children in the North and Northwest suburbs through scholarships and financial support. Died Jan. 26, age 82.
Rob Sherman: Atheist, activist, aviator, radio host, businessman and occasional political candidate, Sherman mounted his first challenge to government-sponsored religious symbolism in 1986, arguing successfully against Zion's plans to paint a cross on a municipal water tower. More challenges followed, involving municipal seals, vehicles stickers and more, until eventually suburbs began self-censoring religious symbols themselves. All of this from his home in Buffalo Grove, where Sherman lived for 32 years. Also a civil rights advocate, he challenged one school district's plan to charge students for full-day kindergarten, arguing the state constitution guaranteed children a free public education. “I challenge those injustices that nobody else is taking on,” Sherman wrote. Died Dec. 10, age 63.
Roger Spiegler: For 40 years he managed the men's department at the legendary downtown Des Plaines department store bearing his family's name. A longtime Des Plaines and Mount Prospect resident and co-owner of the family business that his grandfather, Louis Spiegler Sr., opened in 1900. Died April 23, age 92.
Emory Williams: Former chairman of the Oakton Community College board, Williams also sponsored the Kenny Jackson Williams Memorial Scholarship to support minority students attending Oakton. Of Evanston, he was on the OCC board from 2003 to 2009. Died April 25, age 91.
Richard E. 'Dick' Wolf: Wolf was instrumental in Prospect Heights' 1976 incorporation and became the city's first mayor, serving 1976 to 1983. “He was the founding father of Prospect Heights,” current Mayor Nick Helmer said. “He ... brought Prospect Heights to life.” Died Aug. 20, age 80.