Verna Clayton
Courtesy of Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service
A housewife in Buffalo Grove’s Strathmore subdivision, Verna Clayton didn’t initially seek a career in politics.
But her dissatisfaction with the village board led her to a political career that saw her rise to Buffalo Grove village president and ultimately a state representative. Today, the village’s municipal campus bears her name.
Clayton died Oct. 8 in Anderson, Indiana at 87.
She moved to Buffalo Grove in 1969. Her late husband, Frank Clayton, Jr., an electrical engineer, was also involved in politics, serving on multiples schools boards before becoming highway commission for Vernon Township.
Verna herself became involved in 1971, when she won election as part of a slate of candidates calling itself the Buffalo Grove Alliance party. The party, formed by residents that included the Strathmore Homeowners Association, were unhappy with village government. The group’s issues included the potential siting of a school and a condominium proposal.
“She got mad and decided the only way to change things was to change the board,” her daughter, Valerie Harp, said.
Clayton was eventually elected village president, the first woman to hold the seat, in 1979. Clayton, who served as president until 1991, was also the first woman to serve as president of the Illinois Municipal League.
Former Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein, who served as a trustee while Clayton was president, said she was a major force in moving Buffalo Grove forward. Her achievements included home rule, the creation of a municipal fire department and the development of a business park.
In 1993, Clayton was elected state representative. She served in the General Assembly until 1999. Her work on the House Transportation Committee took her to Washington, D.C., where she testified before Congress and advocated for infrastructure improvements.
“Verna was a pioneer leader in Buffalo Grove,” former Village President and later state Rep. Sidney Mathias said. “She turned a small farming community into a modern day community where residents of all ages could live and prosper.”
Even with all her public accomplishments, Clayton treasured her time with family.
Her granddaughters, Kristi Devries and Kara Fairer, said she was always there for the milestones of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“She made it a point to always make time for family,” Devries said. “She was always present when she was with us.”
Services will be held on Friday in Pendleton, Indiana.