Delores Holmes, a community organizer and former alderman of the 5th Ward who was active in Evanston for over half a century, died on Oct. 22, according to a news release from the city of Evanston. Holmes was the first center director of Family Focus, a nonprofit family services group, for 27 years starting with its inception in 1976. After retiring, Holmes served as alderman of the 5th Ward from 2005 to 2017, per the city of Evanston. Local Evanston leaders offered admiring words for Holmes, especially for her service on the City Council and with Family Focus. “Delores regularly spoke up at City Council meetings, and when she did so you could always see a change in the attitude not only of the elected officials but of the whole room,” said Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss in a prepared statement. “People listened carefully when she spoke, not only because of their respect for her stature and service but also because of their genuine affection for her. It’s hard to imagine an Evanston without Delores Holmes, but we can and must benefit from the blueprint for caring and service that she left us,” Biss said. U.S. Rep Jan Schakowsky (D) also released a statement to lament the loss of the woman she saw as a treasured friend. “The Evanston community has lost a kind and gracious leader, a fierce advocate, and a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend to many. Delores Holmes was a pillar in our community for well over half a century.” Karie Angell Luc / Pioneer PressAfter serving as the director of Family Focus for 27 years, Delores Holmes served as the alderman of the Fifth Ward between 2005 and 2017. (Karie Angell Luc/for Pioneer Press) The Evanston Police Department and Evanston/Skokie School District 65 also released statements on social media. “On behalf of Chief Stewart and the entire Evanston Police Department, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of former Councilmember Delores Holmes. During her time on the City Council, Delores was a valued partner in our efforts to bring a community-centered approach to policing in her ward and throughout the City of Evanston. Her dedication to fostering relationships and building trust between the police and the community leaves a lasting legacy that will not be forgotten,” the police department posted. “Her (Holmes’s) fierce advocacy for equity, the Fifth Ward community, and Foster School has left an indelible impact that will forever be remembered in Evanston,” Evanston/Skokie School District 65 posted on its website. “Delores showed us the grace, love, and strength it takes to live a life of service. We encourage honoring her legacy by getting involved in your community and always standing up for what you believe in,” the district said. Fifth Ward Alderman Bobby Burns said to Pioneer Press, “Ms. Holmes was the matriarch of the Fifth Ward, a title she earned many times over through dedicating herself to the service of generations of Evanston residents, but also to her family and her faith. She spent the last final weeks of her life showing up to events in support of various causes, which is a testament to her strength and deep love for this community.”