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Turry announces he will not seek third term as Lincolnwood mayor
Updated: December 31, 2012 5:41PM
LINCOLNWOOD — After eight years in office, Lincolnwood Mayor Jerry Turry announced Monday he will not seek re-election to a third term next year.
Turry’s 18-year career in public service with the Village of Lincolnwood began in 1994 when he was elected to the board of trustees. He served as a trustee until 2004 when he became mayor.
The 68-year-old Turry, known for his quirky sense of humor and kind personality — not to mention his colorful bowties and trendy eyeglasses — said he felt the time was right to step down and let someone else take the reins.
“It was a difficult decision, but there are other people out there who should have a chance to put their hat in the ring, and I want them to have that chance,” Turry said.
He declined to comment on who he thought might run for his position next year, but said, “I feel confident that there are people in this village who have great interest and the ability to move my agendas along.”
Turry will continue to serve as mayor until his term expires in May 2013. The primary election will be held Feb. 26 prior to the general election April 9.
“When I walk out that door in May, I’ll leave a good reputation and an opportunity for the next person and the board to continue to make Lincolnwood a good place to live,” Turry said. “The next mayor will have to deal with some interesting things, and on the economic side, the Purple Hotel will be very important to this Village.”
During his retirement Turry said he’s looking forward to spending more time with his wife Nancy of 45 years and focusing on volunteer work at Misericordia Home, a group home community that serves developmentally disabled adults.
Turry’s 34-year-old daughter, the youngest of his three children, has resided at Misericorida since she was 10. Over the years Turry has stayed active in the Misercordia community as a parent and volunteer, and said he plans to put even more time and energy into supporting the cause.
Misericordia was a hot-button issue in Lincolnwood during the past two years when trustees and the community engaged in a series of ongoing discussions about whether to modify the village code to allow a new group home to open.
Because of his personal connection to Misericordia, Turry excused himself from the discussions, but later publicly spoke out in support of the measure after trustees approved it by a 5-1 vote in September.
“I have no regrets because the decisions I’ve made as mayor were based on helping the village move ahead and were never made based on what I thought they would mean politically,” Turry said. “A man doesn’t really know what he’ll do under different circumstances until those times come to him, but I always used my conscience and tried to do the right thing.”~.
Turry, a sufferer of Type 1 Diabetes, said he’s in good health despite some minor health issues associated with diabetes. He said he plans to continue his regular bike rides from Lincolnwood to Highland Park in his free time and work out at Lifetime Fitness during colder months.
Before becoming Village Trustee and later mayor, Turry spent 30 years working at Niles West High School, where he taught in the biology and math departments and later worked as the athletic director.
He graduated from Niles West High School in the first graduating class in 1962.
