By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – Former McLean County Board Chairman Nancy Froelich has died. She was 88.

Described as a “practical unifier,” Froelich served on the the county board from 1981 to 1992.

Froelich became the county’s first woman to become board chairman during the mid-1980’s when the community experienced soaring economic growth, and county government expanded the jail and Law and Justice Center.

She presided over the board at a time when meetings were held in the Old Courthouse in Downtown Bloomington. Froelich is credited with playing an instrumental role in preserving the courthouse, which is now the McLean County Museum of History.

LISTEN: Howard Packowitz and Rick Halberg reflect on Froelich’s passing Saturday morning on WJBC’s Rick Halberg and Friends.

Froelich started her political career in 1959 as a Gridley School Board member. She later served on the Board of Governors of State Colleges and Universities. When the university system was reorganized, Froelich was appointed to the Illinois State University Board of Trustees, and served on that board until 2006.

Her family said Froelich was disappointed that she did not complete her college degree, so she returned to school and received a degree in 1989 from Eastern Illinois University when she was 59.

Froelich was one of the first three people named as McLean County History Makers in 2012, and was a YWCA Woman of Distinction.

She and her late husband, funeral director William Froelich Jr., created an endowment for long-term care at ISU’s Mennonite College of Nursing. Mr. Froelich died in 2011. ISU honored Froelich for her support during Mennonite’s 100 year anniversary in February.

Her funeral will be Monday at 1 p.m. at Christ Community Church of Gridley. Visitation will be Monday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the church.

Calvert-Johnson and Froelich Memorial Home in El Paso is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Nancy Froelich died at her Lake Bloomington home on Wednesday.

She is the second former elected official in McLean County to die in recent days.

Former Bloomington Alderman Jesse Parker died last Sunday at age 92. Parker served as council member under Bloomington Mayors Walt Bittner, Rich Buchanan, and Jesse Smart.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]