Ladue Mayor Edith Spink Passes Away at Age 90

Edith Spink, Ladue’s longest serving mayor (1975-1995) passed away on June 21. She turned 90 on May 20.

She was the widow of C.C. Johnson Spink, publisher of the the Sporting News, the bible of baseball and other sports for decades.

Mrs. Spink personified the position of mayor of Ladue, though some thought she was rather controlling. A good friend Mary Ann Rober explained. “Some called her a little dictator, but the people of Ladue just loved her,” said Rober. Going on, Rober said, “I am really saddened to hear of her passing.”

Retired Mayor Irene Holmes came after Spink. “Edie gave a lot to the City of Ladue. She served with a passion for 20 years. She did not have children. She was totally focused on her ability to serve the city,” said Holmes, who retired from active service in April.

Holmes pointed to some interesting facts. “Edie first ran for mayor in 1971 or 1973 against my father (William Schock). She ran a hard campaign, going door-to-door. My father did not. Edie won the race by two votes.”

The low point for the late mayor came in 1994. Ladue became entangled in a protracted lawsuit against resident Margaret Gilleo. The resident of Willow Hill was opposed to the war in the Persian Gulf and put a sign in her yard expressing her opposition.The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, with Ladue losing the case, and large sums of money spent on legal fees.

Spink spent her entire adult life living on Log Cabin Drive in Ladue. Funeral arrangements are pending and will be handled by Lupton Chapel at 9233 Delmar Blvd. in University City. She was a lifetime member of the St. Louis Country Club, and she and her husband were involved in many philanthropic endeavors.

“Edie was from a generation that sadly we will never see again,” said Rober, looking back to an era long gone by.