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'A pillar of our village': Former Elk Grove Fire Chief Charles Henrici dies

Former Elk Grove Village Fire Chief Charles "Chuck" Henrici has died at age 83, the village announced Thursday.

Henrici served in the Elk Grove Village Fire Department for 21 years, including eight as fire chief from 1980 to 1988. After retiring, he served on the village's plan commission for 27 years until 2016.

"Chuck was a pillar of our village, a true community servant who always put the needs of others ahead of his own," Mayor Craig Johnson said. "His dedication and commitment to the village have helped shape this community. Chuck was a wonderful man whom I was fortunate to know my entire life. I am deeply saddened by his passing."

Johnson ordered flags in the village to be flown at half-staff from sunrise Friday through sunset Monday.

Henrici started his career in 1958 as a member of the Skokie Fire Department. He joined the Elk Grove Fire Department in 1967 because, as he said, "it was a new and growing department with more challenges and opportunity."

After retiring from the village's department in 1988, Henrici served as chief of the River Forest Fire Department until 2002.

As a member of the village's plan commission, he helped shaped the community through work on several developments, including the growth of Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Walmart and Home Depot and the redevelopment of the former Grove Mall into the Town Center, officials said.

Visitation will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Grove Memorial Chapel, 199 S. Arlington Heights Road in Elk Grove Village. Closing prayers at Grove will be at 10 a.m. Monday. Funeral services then will take place at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, 150 Lions Drive, Elk Grove Village.

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