Robert J. "Bob" Fuchs' life was one of service to others.

The 85-year-old Army veteran and former Cary mayor and village trustee died Jan. 2 in Lisle.

His vision and leadership helped guide the McHenry County village toward becoming a robust suburban community, while preserving its small-town charm, family members say.

"He was a leader – smart, educated," said Fuchs' daughter Mary Ann McLean of Elmhurst.

Fuchs was a graduate of DePaul University College of Commerce and DePaul Law School. He moved with his family from Chicago to Cary in 1961. He served as a village trustee from 1965 to 1969, when he was elected mayor – a­ post he held until 1976.

"Being mayor was just one further act of service on his part," McLean said. "He was a role model of hard work and integrity."

As a part-time mayor for a town of 4,500 residents, Fuchs' job didn't end at village hall.

People would call our home all the time," McLean said. "Once we were just having a huge rainstorm in early 1970s. He got a bunch of buckets, got in the car and started helping people bail out their basements. A year or two after that, the village upgraded the storm water system."

As mayor, his greatest accomplishments were positioning Cary for future growth, including getting voter approval for the development of a community center for administrative offices, recreational facilities and a library.

Read the full obituary in the Daily Herald at www.dailyherald.com/article/20150108/news/150108938/