McHenry County's first County Administrator Bill Morefield dies

WOODSTOCK – McHenry County's first county administrator, Bill Morefield, has died after fighting a decades-long battle with cancer.

Morefield, 80, is survived by his wife, Judy Morefield, three children – Kathryn Blanks, Cindy Thomson and Derik Morefield – along with grandchildren, a brother and a sister.

Morefield began working for McHenry County government in 1969 when he became administrator for Valley Hi Nursing Home.

He started as the first McHenry County administrator in 1986, according to Northwest Herald archives.

Morefield’s son and current McHenry City Administrator Derik Morefield said he recalled living on the nursing home grounds during those years and seeing his dad “in action.”

“I was able to see his compassion for the residents and staff, and see his leadership,” he said. “He never pestered me to get into public service, but seeing him as a role model and his work in public service must have had an impact on me because I ended up in the field.”

After Morefield’s retirement in 1993, he served on boards and committees for the Easter Seals of McHenry County, McHenry County College, McHenry County Fair Board, Northern Illinois University and the Woodstock High School Backers Club.

Derik Morefield described his father as someone who prioritized relationships over everything else.

“His greatest reward was the network of family and associates he had built up,” Morefield said. “He didn’t need money, or fancy cars, or a fancy house or anything else.”

A note Derik Morefield wrote on his Facebook page garnered nearly 150 condolence responses filled with happy memories of Bill Morefield, who died Saturday.

A celebration of life service and luncheon will be Sept. 9 at Ridgefield Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church, 8505 Church St. Pastor John Dillon will be officiating. The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and will be followed immediately by the luncheon in the church’s fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, Bill Morefield has requested that memorial donations be made in honor of Hope Fuller and Bill Morefield to the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, ATTN: Dr. Stewart Goldman, Pediatric Brain Tumor Program, 225 E. Chicago Ave., Box 4, Chicago, IL 60611.