There are those who would say that Lee Daniels was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He had mentors in both his grandfather, Lee E. Daniels, who was DuPage County state’s attorney and an Illinois state representative, and his father, Bert Daniels, who was a respected Elmhurst lawyer. He grew up in the mansion that his father purchased from the Lee Sturges estate on Cottage Hill in 1954. He had many siblings and a lovely mother, and he was blessed with good looks, intelligence, and a charming personality, which helped him in his career as lawyer and Illinois state representative from 1975 to 2007, during which he was majority whip, minority leader and speaker of the house.

Daniels, however, has suffered his own share of personal loss, beginning with the deaths of his first two children — at ages one day and one-and-a-half days — and the struggle to find ways to help his third child, Laurie, cope with cerebral palsy, from which she has suffered since birth.

“I don’t care how successful or lucky a person is,” he said. “We all have our challenges in life. The fact is that all people experience personal loss, but I believe that goodness in people is inherent in their nature, and there is a basic desire in people to do the right thing.”

Because of his daughter’s health issues, he had to research available facilities and organizations back in the 1960s, when there weren’t many. He became very involved with the Ray Graham Association, Easter Seals, Gallery 37, Kids in Need, Ronald McDonald House, The Life Education Center in Elmhurst, Seguin, Elim Christian School and Bethshan, where daughter Laurie lives today in a three bedroom CILA or Community Integrated Living Arrangement. His office in the Fifth Third Bank building has several awards given to him from these organizations in recognition of his efforts on their behalf.

Since leaving politics more than a year ago, Daniels has set up a commercial real estate business in Elmhurst and supports Elmhurst’s institutions, including the college, where a building recently was named after him, and the hospital and health care system, where he serves on the Board of Trustees.

“I don’t miss Springfield,” he said. “But I do miss being in a position to get things done for people.”

Daniels has many memories and highlights during his long political career, such as meetings with Presidents Ronald Reagan and the elder George Bush in the oval office. He served under Govs. Dan Walker, Jim Thompson, Jim Edgar, George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich and says he believes that, in general, Illinois is a well-run state.

He has many stories to tell about his life in politics as well. One of them was when he was in his first term as state representative.

“At the time,” he explained, “the Democrats outnumbered the Republicans by 103 to 74; however, the House Democrats were unable, after eight days and 88 roll calls, to elect a new Speaker. I was a newcomer to politics, but I wanted to break the log jam. I knew State Rep. Bill Redmond because he was a friend of my grandfather, and though he was a Democrat and I was a Republican, I respected him. I told him I planned to vote for him on the 89th roll call, which I did. Of course, I was criticized by many, but I believed then as I do now that it wasn’t a matter of political party so much as a matter of getting things done and doing the right thing.”

It was because of this controversial decision to vote for Redmond that Daniels was interviewed by Walter Jacobson and Bill Kurtis, and a long friendship with Kurtis was the result of that meeting. Kurtis shares a love of the outdoors with Daniels, and over the years, the two of them have explored and trekked through some exotic places, including a recent trip through Ecuador and the Amazon sponsored by the Field Museum.

Lee Daniels is a product of Elmhurst and loves the town. He has many memories of growing up here, but that will be the subject of another column.

If you have any story ideas you would like to see in the column, e-mail elmhurstovereasy@comcast.net.