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E. C. ALFT

1925 - 2021

E. C. ALFT obituary, 1925-2021, Arlington Heights, IL

E. ALFT Obituary

Teacher, Mayor, Local Historian - Every person has a history. E. C. (Mike) Alft's began on July 13, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois, and ended 96 years later on November 22, 2021, in West Grove, Pennsylvania. Raised for the most part in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mike was a stateside Army veteran. Following his marriage to Frances Virginia Clark, a college classmate, on August 12, 1950, the couple came to live in Elgin, Illinois for 65 years. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Grinnell College, he earned a master's degree at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, and was a John Hay Fellow at Yale University. He taught social studies at Dundee Community High School, 1950-1952 and was a teacher of economics and government at Elgin High School, 1953-1994. He was a part-time instructor in political science at Elgin Community College for twenty years, and was a lecturer for the Elgin Leadership Academy, 1991-2012. Mike served as a member of the Elgin City Council, 1963-1967, and Mayor of Elgin, 1967-1971, and was elected in 1995 and 2001 for two six-year terms to the board of trustees of the Gail Borden Public Library District. As mayor, Mike spearheaded an effort to make Vientiane in Laos a sister city to Elgin. He was one of several founding members of the Elgin Area Historical Society in 1961, and the Elgin Sports Hall of Fame Foundation in 1980. Mike participated in establishing the Elgin Historic District in 1981. He was a member of the Gifford Park Association, and during his retirement was one of the Golden K Kiwanis Club volunteers. An avid cyclist, he rode a hundred miles on his 65th birthday. Mike was a fixture in the library for more than fifty years. A constant reader, he kept a record of more than 3,547 books he read - mainly in history, economics, government, and serious literature - from the age of fifteen. He was fond of reading, traveling with Fran (visiting more than a dozen places named Elgin in the U.S. and Canada), reading, touring museums and national parks, and reading. Mike was the author of seventeen local histories - six hard cover books and eleven soft cover booklets - including Elgin: An American History (1984), Elgin: A Pictorial History (1991), Elgin: Days Gone By (1992) and An Elgin Almanac (2004) as well as more than 1,200 articles in the Courier-News beginning with a 1961 series on Elgin's participation in the Civil War and continuing with the "Days Gone By" columns, 1981 to 2014. Over the years he gave several hundred presentations about his adopted city to service clubs, neighborhood associations, and church and school groups. He participated in Gifford Park Association house walks and Historical Society cemetery walks, conducted bus tours, and appeared on local radio ("Remembering Elgin"). In 2007, Mike was named the Elgin Image Awards' Lifetime Achievement winner. He was named an Illinois Library Association Luminary in 2010. Alft Lane, just north of Advocate Sherman Hospital, was named in Mike's honor. Mike was preceded in death by Fran, his devoted wife and best friend for 65 years. Survivors include four children: B Jefferson Bolender of Phoenix, AZ, John Lincoln (Rustie) of Normal, IL, Michael Wilson (Mary Teresa) of New London Township, PA, and Susan Q Adams Stanchak (Peter) of Portage, MI, thirteen grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren. During their marriage they raised 8 cats. A celebration of Mike's life will be announced at a later date and held in Elgin, Illinois with assistance of the Elgin Area Historical Society and Museum, and the Gail Borden Public Library. Burial services will be private.

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Published by Daily Herald from Nov. 26 to Nov. 29, 2021.

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6 Entries

Leon F. Busche

December 27, 2021

I was sad to read of Mr. Alft's death. Our friendship goes back to my senior year at Elgin High School. I was in his government class during the fun year when he ran for Elgin City Council. I was somewhat fearsome about studying "government," because it was a subject I had never studied. Mr. Alft not only made my fear go away, he inspired me to love the subject. His political campaign brought home the message that we all have something valuable to contribute to our community. He encouraged my interest, and I went on to major in government at The American University in Washington, D.C. After my graduation from AU in 1967, I taught government in the Montgomery County, MD, public schools for 34 years, retiring in 2001. Over those years, we kept in touch and, through letters, emails, and Christmas cards, we traded our thoughts on recent government trends. To have taken such an interest in one student that he had in his class almost 60 years ago was typical of Mr. Alft, and his interest in me and in government enriched my life and career. And he did this while contributing so much to Elgin, IL, through his research and many writings.

I will miss his insights, and I know there are so many in Elgin and in his family who will also miss his wit and wisdom. I am a better person and was a better teacher because of his interest and inspiration, and I join the many who knew him and will miss him very much.

Rest in peace, knowing that you have left this world in a better place than it was when you entered it.

Thank-you for your friendship, interests, and capacity for helping others while enjoying all that life offered you for 96 years.

Your 76-year-old former student,

Leon Busche

Jane Rozek

November 28, 2021

As the Local History Librarian at the Schaumburg Township District Library, I would like to say that we are fortunate to have eight of Mr. Alft's books in our Illinois Collection. His contributions to the greater Elgin area's local history are immeasurable. The fact that he took the time to do the research and write it down is so beneficial for generations to come. Thank you, Mr. Alft, for your devotion to history. It is much appreciated.

Steve Schmidt, St, Louis

November 28, 2021

Mr. Alft was my Economics teacher at Elgin High School in the early 60's, May you rest in eternal peace Mr. Alft!

Laura

November 28, 2021

Elgin has lost a treasure. I can´t think of anyone that has made such an impact in Elgin. He was truly devoted to this city. May GOD have him in HIS glory.

Larry Michelson

November 27, 2021

Few if any made more contributions to the City of Elgin as did Mike. In his years of countless service to the City and his dedicated traching to thousand of students through the years, he made a historical positive impact on the
community that will not be forgotten

Carol Ann Kunkel

November 26, 2021

As a historian for the Bartlett Historical Society, I would like to send condolences. I met him at the Elgin Library and over the many times I read his histories of this area. A truly great person.

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