Holiday Hills Village President Louis French has died at age 64

Holiday Hills Village President Louis French has died, his family and the Lake County Coroner’s Office confirmed Tuesday.

French, 64, died Sunday at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, according to the coroner.

His son, also named Louis French, 41, said his father “had a good heart and was one of a kind. Everything he set out to accomplish he did, and did it 110%. He was determined, caring, and driven.”

Louis French and his three sisters said their father’s death was shocking.

“He had recently undergone treatments for lung cancer, but we received confirmation that he was in remission prior to his passing,” Louis French said.

Village officials have called for a special board meeting to start at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the village hall, 1304 Sunset Drive, to discuss the appointment of an acting village president. The board also will discuss the possible vacancy of a village trustee position, according to the agenda.

French, a retired firefighter and paramedic who worked for Nunda Township and Fox Lake, was serving in his second term as village president. He served as a board trustee before being elected village president the first time in 2017.

Tony Colatorti of Algonquin worked as Holiday Hills’ police chief from 2014-17 during the time French was appointed as the public safety trustee.

“Lou was a kind man who had a big heart,” Colatorti said. “I enjoyed working for him. In 2017, he won the election to become the next village president. I was also then offered the Prairie Grove police job, so I decided to leave. Lou always told me if I ever wanted to come back he would hire me. Lou will truly be missed.”

He was the father of three daughters and a son. As of Tuesday there was no information available for funeral arrangements.