Thank you to Scott Slocum for the breaking news…….

Will County has lost an icon as WJOL has learned that County Executive Larry Walsh has passed away at the age of 72 years old. Walsh was born on March 3rd 1948 in Joliet, Illinois. He graduated from Joliet East High School in 1966 and continued his education at Joliet Junior College where he received a degree in 1968 in business and agriculture. In 1970 he was elected to his first of what would be many public positions after winning a race for a seat on the Elwood School Board. Just three years later, Walsh was elected to serve as a Jackson Township Trustee. Walsh was also elected to the Will County board on two separate occasions, in 1974 and then in 1992. From 1997 to 2005 he served as an Illinois State Senator for the 43rd District and served with future President Barack Obama, when the latter served in the state senate from 1997 to 2004. Walsh returned home to Will County in 2004 when he was elected to the position of Will County Executive, a position he continued to serve in until his term was due to expire later this year. He was re-elected to the Executive seat in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Some of his accomplishments at Executive include the not-yet-complete construction of the Will County Courthouse, the new Will County Health Department Building and a new facility for the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

He was also a dedicated family man as he and his wife Irene had six children (Larry Jr., Frank, Matthew, Sarah, Shawn, Brian) and 20 grandchildren. Other than his passion for his family and serving his community, he was also a proud farmer and operated a small piece of land in Elwood for many years. Arrangements have not yet been made public. This is a developing story.

Below is a photo gallery of some of Larry’s moments with WJOL and in the community.

Larry Walsh during calendar giveaway at D’Arcy
Larry Walsh and Mary Jaworski
Larry Walsh in the Green Room at Rialto Square Theatre prior to It’s A Wonderful Life 2018/md
From left to right: Alex Coffey, advisor U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Michelle Batara, secretary, Will County Center for Community Concerns Board of Directors; Joseph P. Galvan, Midwest Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Kris White, executive director, Will County Center for Community Concerns, and Will County Executive Larry Walsh are proud of the continued successful partnership between the federal and county agencies. This grant will help further the housing counseling services of the WCCCC. (Photo courtesy of the Will County Executive Office).
from left to right Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, Will County Executive Larry Walsh, Will County Board Capital Committee Chair Herb Brook, Jr. and Capital Committee Co-chair Don Moran.
Will County Board Capital Committee Chair Herb Brook, Jr., County Executive Larry Walsh, Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, and Capital Committee Co-chair Don Moran.
Photo cutline: From left to right: Will County Board Capital Improvements Committee Chair Herb Brooks, Jr., Will County Board Speaker Denise Winfrey, Will County Executive Larry Walsh, Animal Control Deputy Administrator Dr. Michele Roessler, and Will County EMA Director Harold Damron celebrated the groundbreaking of the county’s new animal control facility and EMA garage on Tuesday, April 2. These projects are part of the largest capital campaign in the history of Will County which includes the completed Public Safety Complex, a new county courthouse, and a new health department building. (Photo courtesy of the Will County Executive Office.)