Elgin Courier-News | Denise Richardson, Carpentersville village trustee and Spring Hill Mall manager, dead at age 59
Last March, Denise Richardson was on hand to say goodbye to the Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee/Carpentersville when it closed after four decades.
A year later, family and friends are saying goodbye to Richardson, the mall's former general manager and a Carpentersville Village Board trustee who died March 8 after being treated for cancer.
Penny Williams was friends with Richardson for 40 years. The two went to Elgin Community College together.
What she loved most about her friend, Williams said, was "her ability to make you laugh. No matter what you had going on, she could make you laugh. ... She was a pretty strong person even when she didn't know she was."
That strength was evident in the last year of her life, she said.
Richardson, who would've turned 60 on Wednesday, grew up in Elgin. She graduated from Elgin High School in 1983, studied human services and counseling at ECC, and became Spring Hill Mall's general manager in October 2021. It was a place she was familiar with, having grown up going to the mall as a teenager.
In March 2024, the same month the mall closed, Richardson was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, according to a GoFundMe created by her daughter, Brittney. The cancer spread to her back and hip, the post said.
Richardson moved to an Elgin nursing home in January, where she had 24-hour care and hospice support, according to a social media post. She had hoped to be able to walk again and regain her independence, the post said.
"If you've ever met my mom, you'd know she radiates joy and laughter," Brittney said in the GoFundMe message. She attached a YouTube video of Richardson appearing on her daughter's channel that showcased her personality.
Her friends will remember her joy and laughter and "how she could make you smile and laugh until you cried. She just had that wonderful ability about her. She could just lift your spirits," Williams said.
Richardson remained on the village board during her illness.
"Trustee Richardson was a valued member of the board of trustees who advocated for residents and businesses," Carpentersville Village Manager John O'Sullivan said.
Richardson was appointed to the board in 2023 by Village President John Skillman, filling the seat left vacant by O'Sullivan after he was hired as village manager.
"She was a tough person with a tender heart, and those of us who worked with her here at the village of Carpentersville will miss her," O'Sullivan said.
Richardson was proud of the work she did on the board and that she could have a positive impact on the village, Williams said.
Her term ends in May. Hers is one of three seats up for election on April 1.
Williams said Richardson's family is having a memorial in the summer, but no date has been set. The memorial will likely be in the Elgin area, she said.
"We grew up here, so we know a lot of people," Williams said. "When she moved to Carpentersville, she really got involved in the community there. She really loved it there."