Alexander Todd Obituary

Todd, Jr., Alexander William

Alexander W. Todd, Jr., age 95, of Bolingbrook, died October 8, 2023. He was the director of the Fountaindale Public Library District (FPLD) for twenty-six years and helped the district's two library buildings grow with their communities. Born in 1928 in Vandalia and grew up in Belleville, he attended the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1951. He had a twenty-five-year naval career, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander prior to joining the library profession. He earned his Master of Library Science from Drexel University in 1972 and served as director of the Pitman Public Library in New Jersey before moving his family to Bolingbrook in 1974 to lead FPLD. He has always been a strong advocate for libraries having their own dedicated funding. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he traveled the state along with other library directors, encouraging library boards to form library districts. In 1986, he worked with his library board president to write the "Standards for the Public Library" section of the first edition of the Trustee Facts File, published by the Illinois Library Association (ILA). His work gained him recognition as ILA's Librarian of the Year in 1986. He has left an indelible mark on Illinois libraries professionally, structurally, and personally. He was also active in the Bolingbrook Rotary.

Alex is survived by his wife Carol (nee Chepulis) of 35 years, children Susan (Basil) Georges, Nancy Todd, Diane (Larry) Seef, Alaine Todd, Alexander C. Todd, grandchildren Nicholas, Alexander (Marissa), Marnie, and Matthew Georges, Bryan and Claire Seef, Jack (Hannah) and Benjamin Coates, great granddaughters Eleanor and Gwen Georges, Karsyn Coates, and his sister Nancy (Donald) McIntyre, niece, nephews, and their families. He was predeceased by his parents Alexander W. and Elsa Todd, Sr., first wife Claire (nee Garland) of 29 years and daughter Ellen (RH) Coates.

A Celebration of Life will take place on November 11, 2023, at Woodridge United Methodist Church, 2700 75th Street, Woodridge, IL 60517, with a visitation starting at 10 am and the Celebration at 11 am with a light lunch to follow. The Celebration will be live-streamed on YouTube, Woodridge UMC page. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Woodridge United Methodist Church or the Illinois Library Association Library Luminary program. To donate to the latter online, visit www.ila.org/donate/submit . Checks made out to ILA Library Luminaries should be mailed to Illinois Library Association, 560 W. Washington Blvd, Suite 330, Chicago, IL 60661.

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