Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar died Sunday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 79.
Mr. Edgar died after being hospitalized due to a reaction to treatment for cancer. The former governor was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January.
In February, Mr. Edgar told the Sun-Times he was fighting the deadly disease because he had “a lot to hold out for.”
“I’ve told many people I want to stay around. I’ve got a few things I want to do and see. I want to see great-grandchildren. I kind of like to see my horses do a little better than they’ve done. So I’ve got a lot to hold out for. But to be very truthful, if it ended tomorrow, I’ve had a great life.”
Mr. Edgar was the state’s 38th governor, serving two terms from 1991 to 1999. He also served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1976 to 1979 and as Illinois secretary of state from 1981 to 1991.
He was reelected by the widest plurality any incumbent Illinois governor has ever received, winning 101 of the state’s 102 counties, including Cook County.
After retiring from office, Mr. Edgar was a resident fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Sunday called Mr. Edgar a friend and mentor. He said flags across Illinois would fly at half-staff to honor Edgar’s legacy.
“Now more than ever, we should channel that spirit and resolve to live as Governor Edgar did: with honesty, integrity, and an enduring respect for all,” Pritzker said in the statement.
A moderate Republican, Mr. Edgar joined fellow Illinois Republicans last year in campaigning for Democrat Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign as part of the nationwide “Republicans for Harris” push.
In 2012, the former governor started the Edgar Fellows Program, which centers around developing young Illinois leaders and fostering mutual understanding between parties.
Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton, who was part of the 2016 Edgar Fellows cohort, said Edgar’s legacy is one of lasting impact.
“Former Governor Jim Edgar was a man of principle and a passionately dedicated civil servant,” Stratton said in a statement. “He saw past political divides and emphasized the importance of unity in leadership by making a point to always extend his hand across the aisle. He was practical, gave great advice, and did everything he could to build up the next generation of future leaders so that Illinois can continue to grow.”
In a July interview with Chicago Sun-Times staff reporter Fran Spielman, Mr. Edgar detailed the difficulties of chemotherapy and what he wanted his legacy to be. He said he was taking things “one day at a time,” and taking care of his horses to occupy himself.
“I want people to think, ‘He was a good, good public servant, he did a good job. Didn’t always agree with him, but he tried to do what he thought was the right thing,’” Mr. Edgar said in the interview.
