Aurora council honors longtime community leader Dee De Basile; April 10 named in her honor

Aurora City Council members used the Jan. 7 meeting to pay extended tributes to Delia “Dee” De Basile, a longtime city staffer and community volunteer who died at the start of the year. Mayor Richard C. Irvin read a proclamation posthumously recognizing De Basile by designating April 10 as “Dee De Basile Day” and calling for the day to be observed as one of service, compassion and kindness.

Council members spoke in turn about De Basile’s years with the city and community organizations. Alderman Barrera recalled working with her in community services and with youth programs; others noted her role with the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board, her leadership at the farmers market and her work on the Parade of Nations. “She had the ability to make you feel loved just by being in the room with you,” Irvin said while presenting the proclamation.

Family members joined the council for the presentation. De Basile’s brother, Mike Naylor, spoke and described the family’s multiple generations of city service, saying he encouraged his sister to join city employment after a hospitality career. The mayor’s proclamation summarized her biography in part: born April 10, 1950; graduate of Madonna High School; a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University earned in 2011; and 18 years of service to the city in multiple capacities. The Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board has named an award in her honor, and the city plans a group photo with the family following the proclamation.

Council members repeatedly described De Basile as a familiar presence at city events and credited her with community outreach that bolstered local traditions and institutions. The mayor closed the segment by asking those present to “stand and salute the life and the legacy of a phenomenal woman.”

The tribute took place during the mayor’s report portion of the meeting and was followed by the council moving on to the regular agenda.