Former Winfield trustee remembered for his love of local politics

Former Winfield village trustee and community newspaper publisher Stan Zegel is being remembered for his love of local politics.

Zegel, 77, died on Wednesday, Dec. 15.

Lois Kataoka, Zegel's widow, said they had relocated to a senior center in Wheaton this past March. But she emphasized the 35 years that she and Zegel spent in Winfield.

"He always was interested in local politics," said Kataoka, adding that Zegel was also a voracious reader and history buff.

Zegel served one term as a village trustee starting in 1995. He later founded The Winfield Register in 2007.

Kataoka said the community newspaper mostly was self-funded by Zegel, but he did it to keep residents informed.

"Stan Zegel was a man who had a very strong love of Winfield, and he always wanted to pursue his vision of what Winfield should be," said former Winfield Village President Erik Spande.

Spande also remembers Zegel as a strong supporter of the Winfield Police Department. He said Zegel was unhappy with an effort to outsource local policing to the DuPage County sheriff's office.

"(Zegel) used his newspaper to make the facts known and mobilize community support," Spande said.

Though Spande recalls clashing with Zegel over issues of Winfield development projects, he admired Zegel's push for transparency in government.

"(Zegel) was willing to stand up and make his voice heard, even if some might strongly disagree with him," Spande said. "And even with those whom he disagreed, he was always willing to hear the other side and take that into consideration."

Zegel was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, and worked his way through the University of Iowa as a self-taught computer programmer. He later founded Iowa Data Corp., which provided Iowa counties with computerized voter records. The business closed after the state began the same service.

Zegel then worked for Rockwell International as a systems analyst in Miami.

In his later years, Zegel started the Citizen Participation Institute to encourage candidates to run for local offices. Zegel also was an associate member of the Chicago Bar Association's Election Law Committee.

A visitation for Zegel is planned for 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21, at Williams-Kampp Funeral Home, 430 E. Roosevelt Road, Wheaton. Zegel is to be interred at the Columbarium of Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Des Moines.