CHICAGO — Former Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson, known as “Big Jim” during a long career that eventually made him the state's longest-serving chief executive, has died. He was 84.
Thompson died shortly after 8 p.m. Friday at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, his wife, Jayne, told the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. The Tribune, citing a police report, reported Thompson had been recovering there for several weeks after suffering heart problems.
“It was very sudden,” Jayne Thompson told the Tribune. "I was told that his heart simply stopped.”
Thompson, a Republican from Chicago, was first elected in 1976 and eventually served four terms before leaving office in 1991. A moderate, he managed the state through recession years in the 1980s. He also helped put together a plan to help the Chicago White Sox get a new stadium to head off a potential move out of state.
Widely respected across the state, Thompson was honored in 1993 when the state government building in downtown Chicago was named after him.
“As the longest-serving governor in Illinois history, ‘Big Jim’ was known to treat people he encountered with kindness and decency,” Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. "Jim dedicated himself to building positive change for Illinois, and he set an example for public service of which Illinoisans should be proud. He will be remembered and revered as one of the titans in the history of state government.”
“He was a great guy, no question about that,” said Republican former Gov. George Ryan. “He did a lot of good things for Illinois.”
Before becoming governor, Thompson was an assistant attorney general and a U.S. attorney, making a name for himself with anti-corruption cases that included prosecuting former Gov. Otto Kerner Jr.
Statement from Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider:
“Today the Illinois Republican Party mourns the loss of a great leader in Illinois’ storied history. Governor 'Big Jim' Thompson exemplified a state government that worked, treated others with legendary kindness, and created lasting positive change for Illinois over his 14 years as Governor. He helped send a corrupt Governor to jail as a prosecutor, rebuilt the state’s infrastructure, saved the White Sox, and presided over a healthy and prosperous Illinois. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jayne and his family at this time.”
Statement from former Governor of Illinois Pat Quinn
“From the time he signed the Political Honesty Initiative – to stop legislative conflicts of interest, double dipping, and advance pay for politicians – when he was first running for Governor in 1976, Gov. Jim Thompson stood for cleaning up corruption in Illinois politics and government.
As US Attorney, he brought to justice scores of corrupt public officials. As Governor of Illinois for a record 14 years, Jim Thompson always remained true to his conscience and convictions.
Jim Thompson generously helped me when I was Governor of Illinois from 2009 to 2015.
For the past four decades, he has strengthened the annual conference of US midwest states and the people and businesses of Japan, an international legacy of friendship that created and maintained thousands of jobs in Illinois.
The people of Illinois owe a permanent debt of gratitude to Gov. James R. 'Big Jim' Thompson. May God rest his eternal soul.”