He was modest, approachable and eager to help anybody in need. It came as no surprise to any of his peers that he was active in politics right to the end.

The La Salle County Board observed a moment of silence Wednesday for Tom Walsh, an Ottawa Democrat who served the county for decades both from his home city and in Springfield. The 80-year-old passed away Nov. 19.

Tom’s word was his bond and his integrity unquestioned.

—  Joe Hettel, appellate justice

Walsh would have been singularly remembered for his work in the Illinois statehouse, where he championed an increase in veterans’ benefits and toughened DUI laws, but he served in numerous other posts in his long life.

“Tom Walsh was kind, decent and a true public servant,” said Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino, who served with Walsh in the Illinois House. “Tom was always willing to help anyone that asked. He was a friend and will be missed.”

Former La Salle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne called fellow Democrat Walsh a “mentor and party elder” regarded for his intelligence, composure, integrity and vision.

“He was a kind and caring soul who knew La Salle County and its inner workings,” Towne said. “He walked door to door for his own campaign and for the campaigns of others he believed in.

“It wasn’t a chore or a burden because he loved his constituents and believed in the democratic process.”

Walsh was a 1955 graduate of Marquette High School and a daily communicant at St. Columba Church (now St. Brigid Parish), where he served as an usher for many years. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves and was a licensed funeral director for 60 years.

His many elected and appointed posts included a stint as La Salle County Clerk and an aide to Congressman George Sangmeister. He played a key role in the Radium Dial project by working with the Environmental Protection Agency to identify, fund and remediate contaminated areas in Ottawa.

Walsh also served on the Federal Election Commission as well as the Illinois Board of Elections.

Joe Hettel, an appellate justice and former La Salle County state’s attorney, said Walsh worked hard to ensure election integrity.

“Tom was one of the hardest-working public servants I’ve ever encountered,” Hettel said. “His word was his bond and his integrity unquestioned. He set the standard for county clerks, trusted by both sides of the aisle to run a fair and efficient election.”

La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro said he first met Walsh when he mounted his first campaign in 1988. Walsh abetted his campaign – “Every Democrat he reached out to and helped” – and further won Navarro’s admiration by advancing legislation to protect road construction workers.

Navarro recalled that when a worker was struck and killed on the Fox River Bridge, then state Rep. Tom Walsh swung into action and helped enforce speed limits to ensure the safety of road workers.

Walsh could be opinionated, Navarro allowed, but he was firm in his convictions and respectful of those who disagreed.

“He was a great democrat and a great leader of Democrats,” Navarro said. “He’s done a lot for this county; he served his country and will be missed.”

Arratta Znaniecki, one of Walsh’s Republican counterparts on the La Salle County Board, agreed that Walsh had a gift for meeting people “in the middle” and working through partisan differences.

“Tom was a friend to all of us and he was non-partisan,” Znaniecki said. “He was a great man.”