Funeral Held for Springfield Mayor

Tim Davlin died Tuesday morning from a close-range gunshot wound to the chest

Residents of Illinois' capital city said goodbye to their leader Saturday, tossing flowers at Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin's hearse as it carried his body past city hall, the Statehouse and the state fair's grounds for the last time.

Hundreds of mourners packed Springfield's Blessed Sacrament Church for funeral services, one day after thousands paid their respects during visitation.

Davlin's daughter, Tara, gave an emotional speech during Saturday's service, The State Journal-Register reported.

The mayor died Tuesday morning from a close-range gunshot wound to the chest. His body was found by Springfield officers responding to a 911 call. An autopsy indicated the 53-year-old Democrat fired the fatal shot himself.

Residents stood along the street as Davlin's body was driven past the city's landmarks, led by city police and fire vehicles. At city hall, supporters tossed carnations onto the hearse in honor of Davlin's St. Patrick Day parade tradition of handing out the flowers.

The procession ended at Calvary Cemetery, where Davlin was to be buried.

Davlin was to have appeared in court Tuesday to address questions about his handling of the estate of a cousin who died in 2003.

He had been mayor of the city with 120,000 residents since April 2003. He told Springfield radio station WFMB last month that he would not seek a third four-year term next spring because he wanted to leave office before getting burned out. Davlin, who had four children and four grandchildren, insisted then that financial issues had nothing to do with that decision involving the nonpartisan post he called "grueling."

Staab Funeral Home, which handled arrangements, said contributions may be made to the Timothy J. Davlin Grandchildren Scholarship Fund in care of Heartland Credit Union or to Blessed Sacrament Church's building fund.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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