Western Springs mourns death of Village President Alice Gallagher

Western Springs President Alice F. Gallagher died on March 21, a news release stated.

While Gallagher leaves a legacy of public service, she will be remembered first and foremost as someone who was kind, genuine, caring and always willing to listen and engage with her constituents and neighbors, the release stated, noting she was a collaborative leader with a steady and calming presence during a time of global uncertainty.

Gallagher was a graduate of Miami University of Ohio and Seattle University School of Law. She was an attorney and a yoga teacher. Before being elected as village trustee, she served as president of the Field Park PTO, chairperson of the Western Springs Foundation for Educational Excellence and as a member of the Western Springs School District 101 Board of Education.

She was elected as a village trustee in 2013, and then as village president in 2017. She was reelected in 2021, and was halfway through her second term. Since becoming village president, she served as president of the Central Council of Mayors, a director of the executive committee, chair of the Central Council Transportation Committee, and co-chair of the joint Central/North Central Transportation Committee.

She also served on the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Council of Mayors Executive Committee. In February 2019, Gallagher was appointed by Gov. JB Pritzker to serve on the board of the Illinois Tollway, where she was chair of the audit committee and a member of the finance, administration and operations committee, and the systems review and customer service committee. In fall 2022, she was elected vice president of the West Central Municipal Conference regional council of government. Most recently, she was instrumental in creating a relationship between the village of Western Springs and the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference.

Gallagher is survived by her husband, Terry, their five children, and their extended family, the release stated.