Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough, 73, died April 7 after being hospitalized last week in critical condition with an undisclosed illness.
Yarbrough was first elected Cook County Clerk in 2018 as the first woman and African American to hold the position and was re-elected in 2022. Her duties included overseeing the county’s election processes, administering records and maintaining tax maps.
“We have lost one of the brightest lights in the public service arena in Cook County and the State of Illinois, and we will never be quite the same,” said Chief Deputy Clerk Cedric Giles, who is stepping into her position, in a statement.
Yarbrough served as Illinois State Representative for the 7th District starting in 2001 and was assistant majority leader in 2011 and 2012. She became Cook County’s Recorder of Deeds in 2012 and worked in the position until 2018.
“Karen Yarbrough was dedicated to serving the people of this county and committed to fairness in the critical role of counting votes in our elections,” said Timothy C. Evans, chief judge of the Cook County Circuit Court, who swore in Yarbrough as clerk, in a statement. “She was a true public servant and will be greatly missed.”
With decades of experience in Illinois politics, Yarbrough also had a well-known presence in the western suburbs. She served as a Proviso Township committeeperson, helping manage voter registration and community forums and electing county board commissioners.
Her father, Donald Williams Sr. was Maywood’s second Black mayor, and her older brother, Donald Williams Jr., a Maywood realtor, died in 2020. Yarbrough’s husband, Henderson Yarbrough, was also mayor of Maywood.
“A trailblazer, Karen Yarbrough always represented her hometown of Maywood with poise, class and an unwavering commitment to be a voice for the people in her elected positions,” officials said in a statement on the Village of Maywood’s website. “Maywood has been tremendously blessed by her presence and her devoted and impactful service to mankind. Her beautiful spirit will continue to live on in the lives of those of those who call the Village of Eternal Light home.”
“My heart goes out to the people of Maywood and the family of my dear friend, Karen Yarbrough. For decades, Proviso Township could always count on the fact they had a champion fighting on their behalf in state and local government,” said Senate President Don Harmon in a statement. “Her long tenure in public life and multiple leadership positions in the Democratic Party were no accident. They were the product of hard work, dedication and a deep affinity for the wellbeing of others.”
“I first met Karen nearly three decades ago and have admired her ever since,” Harmon added. “She had an infectious enthusiasm for people and her mere presence brought ease, comfort, stability and warmth to every room and any situation.”
“My thoughts and prayers are with Henderson, her family, and all of us reeling tonight from losing one of our dear friends and most steadfast partners in the pursuit of a better community.”
