During 28 years as DuPage County’s elected county clerk, Gary A. King worked to professionalize his office’s operations, including its technology, its records management and how it interacts with the public.

In all, King spent more than 47 years working in the office of the clerk, which mails property tax bills and stores and manages vital records like birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses and political candidates’ economic interest statements.

“He knew more about his job, including about taxes and the tax cycle, than anybody in the county. He just knew everything,” said former DuPage County Recorder J.P. “Rick” Carney, a longtime friend. “He was an expert. I would consider him the best clerk in the state of Illinois.”

King, 78, died of complications of Alzheimer’s disease on Oct. 27 at the Terra Vista of Oakbrook Terrace memory care facility in Oakbrook Terrace, said Cindy King, his wife of 15 years. He had been a longtime Glen Ellyn resident and previously had resided in unincorporated Lombard.

King was born in 1946 and grew up in Cicero — he was one of nine children — and earned an undergraduate degree in 1968 from what is now known as Benedictine University in Lisle. While in college in 1967, King was hired by then-DuPage County Clerk Ray W. MacDonald for a job, sweeping floors. After graduating, King stayed on and worked his way up in the office.

After MacDonald’s sudden death in 1980, his deputy Jay Bennett became the elected clerk, and King moved up to become the No. 2 person in the office, with the title of chief deputy clerk.

Bennett announced that he would retire in 1986 and King threw his hat in the ring, winning the GOP primary in the spring of that year and then winning the general election in November 1986.

King won re-election to six additional four-year terms.

Paul Hinds, who succeeded King as clerk in 2014 and is now the county’s chief deputy treasurer, recalled King’s attention to detail that’s still evident today, including in seeing King’s hand-drawn property parcel numbers on newly subdivided properties on old plat books in the clerk’s office.

“He was in the political world, but he really never made enemies,” Hinds said. “I don’t know anybody who didn’t like Gary King. He dedicated his life to that office, and made sure everything ran smoothly. He ran a great office.”

Gary A. King served for many years in the DuPage County office of the clerk and was elected to lead it in 1986. (Paul Hinds)

King’s accomplishments included computerizing the clerk’s office’s records, improving customer relations, implementing state mandates and drafting state tax cap legislation in 1991. King’s role also involved taking minutes during DuPage County Board meetings, and he also served as the secretary of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District before and after the forest district’s 2002 separation from county government.

“I loved the guy,” said Carney, whose tenure as recorder from 1984 until 2004 largely overlapped that of King. “I knew him and I knew everybody in his family very well.”

Former DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom said King was easy to work with, with a terrific sense of humor, and also was “very adept at his job.”

“He knew that office from stem to stern, and he ran it very efficiently,” Schillerstrom said. “He was devoted to the county.”

King served for many years as a York Township Republican precinct committeeman and was secretary and treasurer of the York Township Republican Party. He also spent nine years managing youth baseball teams in Lombard, and he served on the Lombard YMCA board of directors from 1983 until 1986. King also was president of the Congress Knolls homeowners association in unincorporated Lombard from 1982 until 1986.

At age 68, King decided not to run for re-election in 2014. After stepping down from the job, he and his wife enjoyed traveling and spending time with his grandchildren.

A first marriage ended in divorce in 2005. In addition to his wife, King is survived by a son, Gary Jr.; three daughters, Laura Schwardt, Kelly King-Tyner and Allison Aloisio; eight grandchildren; three sisters, Judi King, Nancy King and Kathy Reichert; and a brother, Larry.

A celebration of life service is being planned.

Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/28/gary-king-dupage-county-clerk-dies/