Naperville visionary Price 'provided tremendous leadership'

Peg Price could picture the Naperville of the future when she became mayor in 1983.

By the time she died Sunday at age 87, she had lived for decades in the real-life version of that picture, a reality that her leadership helped create, those who knew her say.

Margaret P. "Peg" Price, the city's first female mayor, also was a city council member, a Riverwalk commissioner, an avid reader and an outspoken political enthusiast. She dedicated much of her time to public service and helped shape the city by being the driving force behind its new municipal center, where city business has been conducted since 1992 at 400 S. Eagle St.

"She provided tremendous leadership and direction at a critical time when the city was making the decision to grow exponentially," former city council member Kevin Gallaher said. "The city wouldn't be where it is without her efforts and her vision."

During her time as mayor, the city built a fire station, relocated Nichols Library and built the Chicago Avenue parking deck - its first. Price later helped assemble a committee to support construction of the outdoor concert center in Central Park, which opened in 2003.

"She had visions of what she thought Naperville ought to be doing or what Naperville should have," said Ron Keller, director of the Naperville Municipal Band and a longtime friend of Price and her late husband, Chuck.

Price came to Naperville when her husband's job with Western Electric Company/Lucent Technologies transferred him there from New Jersey. The childhood sweethearts from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, established themselves in a small community of less than 20,000 and raised their sons Steven and Timothy, both of whom still live in town.

Price served on the city council before and after becoming mayor and said she had an interest in land-use planning. In 2005, when the Daily Herald named her to the list of Naperville's 25 most influential people as No. 16, Price said she stepped up to lead because she could see the small-town Naperville of the 1970s was on the verge of becoming something more.

"I felt strongly we had to provide for the growth coming," she said, looking back in an archive article from 15 years ago.

Price's leadership as Naperville poised for residential and commercial growth extended past construction of the new municipal center, "from the actual building, the facility, to building the community," Gallaher said.

"She never cared if she got credit," he said.

As mayor, Price began attending Rotary Club of Naperville meetings, and by 1987, she became one of the club's first two female members. She also was involved with the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation, League of Women Voters, Loaves & Fishes Community Services and St. Raphael Catholic Church.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home in Naperville.

Instead of a visitation, during the concern about the COVID-19 pandemic, Price's family asks well-wishers to take a few moments to call a friend. Memorials may be made to the Naperville Riverwalk Foundation at https://www.napervilleriverwalkfoundation.org/donate-2/.