A former Fox Lake mayor, who was the first female to serve as mayor before serving 14 years as a village trustee, has died at age 72.
Nancy Koske, a longtime resident of Fox Lake, died peacefully at her home on Wednesday surrounded by her family.
Koske began life in the Ravenswood and Jefferson Park neighborhoods of Chicago.
Her family moved to Mundelein where Koske attended Santa Maria del Popolo Catholic School and Carmel Catholic High School.
Her obituary said she earned a reputation for being a hard worker and enjoyed a long career as an office manager at Sub Surface Construction in Grayslake and as the marketing manager at Paradise Park in Fox Lake.
“A true Renaissance person, Nancy was a talented musician, civic leader, and—above all—a fantastic and loving wife, mother, and Nonie,” her obituary read.
Koske was the lead singer for several cover bands that specialized in rock and top-40 music.
She was part of the first band to play on Blarney Island and bands that played at many local venues, including the Lake County Fair.
Koske later spent her Friday nights in the kitchen at Port of Blarney serving up fish fry.
She began her civic and political careers as a 12-year board member of Fox Lake School District 114.
Koske was elected as mayor of Fox Lake in 2001, serving one term until 2005, which was her “proudest civic title,” her obituary said. She was the first female Fox Lake mayor.
Her obituary said she played pivotal roles in moving the village hall to its current location, creating the FoxComm 911 Dispatch Center, building a sally port at the police department, building a skate park at Veterans Memorial Park, redeveloping the Lakefront Park and the land annexation that brought Fox Lake to the Wisconsin state line.
She later went on to become a Village of Fox Lake trustee from 2007 until 2021.
Koske leaves behind her husband of almost 50 years as well as her three daughters.
A visitation was held Tuesday morning in Fox Lake followed by a burial at Grant Cemetery in Ingleside.