Geneva Flag Lowered To Honor Former Mayor, Who Died At Age 98

GENEVA, IL — Howard Smith, Geneva's 25th mayor, died Sept. 10, city officials announced. He was 98.

The Geneva flag in front of City Hall was lowered Wednesday in Smith's memory.

"The City of Geneva expresses its condolences to the Smith family and friends for their loss," officials said.

Smith, raised in Geneva and graduated from Geneva High School, was elected as the city's mayor in 1957, serving one term, until 1961. Two weeks before the 1960 election, he introduced a campaigning John F. Kennedy at the Kane County Courthouse in downtown Geneva, officials said in a news release.

Smith attended Harvard Law School and practiced law in Geneva for more than 60 years.

The Geneva City Council will honor Smith with a moment of silence at its Sept. 18 meeting.