Former Adams County Republican leader passes away

Larry Ehmen, a retired teacher and businessman who also ran for an elected office because he wanted to abolish that office, died Wednesday in Blessing Hospital. 

Ehmen was 82. His list of public service, community and political service was lengthy.

He was an unapologetic Conservative Republican. During a two-year stint on the Adams County Board, he attempted to reign in spending and consistently voted for fiscal responsibility as a board member. 

Ehmen was the chairman of the Adams County Republican Central Committee for eight years and during that time, the party began to gain more of a foothold in Quincy. Republicans had always run strong countywide, but Democrats maintained the mayor’s office and control of the Quincy City Council for years before the tide began to turn in the early 2000’s. 

He was dedicated to the service of his native Quincy and Adams County, as he was on the ground floor to help establish the Great River Economic Development Foundation (he was the organization’s first president), Quincy Conference and numerous boards and committees. 

And in 2000, he decided he was going to run for Adams County Recorder. Adams was one of the few counties in Illinois that had separate offices for the county clerk and the recorder. Ehmen supported a referendum to abolish the position of recorder and have one person elected to serve as county clerk AND recorder. 

The referendum passed, Ehmen won the race and was the last recorder to serve in Adams County as the office went away in 2004. 

Ehmen retired and un-retired a few times as he was one of those people who could not sit still. 

He loved cars, but he was also a pilot and enjoyed boating. 

He is survived by his wife, Reva, his four children and 13 grandchildren.

His full obituary is listed in Muddy River News.