Edward Paesel

Edward W. Paesel is the third mayor (village president) of the Village of Sauk Village, Illinois 1977 to 1989.
Paesel was born October 23, 1949, to Edward H. and Betty Paesel. Paesel's family moved to Sauk Village in 1959, when he was age of 10. Paesel attended and graduated from Bloom High School in Chicago Heights in 1967, and graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelors and master's degree in History.
Paesel was elected in 1973 to the Village Board of Trustees to fill a two-year unexpired term at the age of 23, at the time becoming the youngest Village Trustee in the Village's history, the record being broken in 1989. Paesel ran for re-election to his seat and won in 1975 to a full-term as Village Trustee. Paesel took a job as a teacher at St. Marks Lutheran School in Sauk Village .
3rd Mayor of Sauk Village
In 1977 Paesel ran for Mayor against what seemed to be an unbeatable Mayor Roger F. Theisen, who was seeking a fourth term as Mayor. Paesel was victorious and won
his first term as Mayor beating out Theisen, John Hamilton and Harold "Bill" Johnson. Election Results Paesel 954 (45.4%), Theisen 859 (40.9%), Johnson 190 (9.9%) and Hamilton 97 (0.4%) Paesel took office one week following his election in April, 1977.
Paesel was challenged for re-election as mayor by Reverend John A. Hanks, pastor of the controversial Sauk Village Baptist Church (the late Rev John Hanks is the father of Mayor David Hanks 2012-2017). A second challenger to Paesel in 1981 was Donald Sipple, Sr. Paesel went on easily winning a second term as Mayor beating out his challengers by a nearly 10 to 1 margin, the biggest electoral victory in Sauk Village history. Election Results from April 7, 1981: Paesel 1987 (85%), Sipple 198 (8.5%) and John Hanks 156 (6.66%). In April, 1981, Paesel received the most votes ever cast for a mayoral candidate in Sauk Village history.
Paesel's final electoral victory was on April 2, 1985 when he went on to win a third term as mayor. Paesel was challenged by two others Louis Gesiakowski and William St.Jacques. Paesel easily won his third term with 1018 votes or 54%, Gesiakowski received 634 or 33.6% and St.Jacques received 231 votes or 12.2%. By 1987, Paesel begain a process of bringing on a full-time village administrator as he announced he would not seek re-election to a fourth term.
Beyond Sauk Village
Paesel was tapped in 1989 to serve as the Executive Director of the Chicagoland Regional Third Airport Clearinghouse. Paesel served as an advocate for Chicago's third regional airport. In 1999, Beth Ruhl announced she was going to retire as Executive Director of South Suburban Mayors and Managers. Paesel was once again tapped to serve as the organizations Executive Director until he announced his retirement for December 31, 2016.
Paesel has been an advocate for the south suburban area since leaving the office of Mayor of Sauk Village in 1989.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu