A woman who consoled countless families through the worst moments of their lives, former Winnebago County Coroner Sue Fiduccia, 80, died Wednesday after a lengthy illness.
For two decades, Fiduccia was the bearer of the worst news, known for her kind words, warm hugs and fierce devotion to her job.
She retired in 2016 after more than 20 years as coroner, declining to seek a sixth term. But she had been a fixture in the office for decades before that, having worked her way up from a member of the coroner's jury to secretary to deputy coroner.
Working on the coroner's jury "seemed to be my forte," Fiduccia said in a 2015 story.
"What I liked about the inquest was I could spend time with the families," Fiduccia said. "The police can only spend a certain amount of time with the family. So when it came time to do the inquest, we could spend a lot of time with the family, answering their questions and just listening to them talk about their loved ones. That always seemed to help a family grieve a little bit better."
Winnebago County Coroner Jennifer Muraski announced Fiducia's death Wednesday in a Facebook post.
"It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of former Winnebago County Coroner, Elizabeth "Sue" Fiduccia," Muraski said. "Her caring commitment and dedication to our community will be a legacy that will live on for years to come. I am honored to have had her as a mentor and as a friend."
In addition to consoling grieving families, Fiduccia was known for advocating on behalf of babies like Baby Crystal and Baby Noah, who were found abandoned and deceased. Fiduccia arranged for donated headstones and burials for them.
Former Winnebago County State's Attorney Paul Logli said he knew of no coroner in Illinois who cared more about the people than Fiduccia.
"She led with her heart, and she was probably the most victim-conscious coroner I've ever known," Logli said. "She dealt with tragedy, horrible tragedies in the community. And she never forgot the people surrounding that tragedy that needed her support. At the same time, she did a very professional job in terms of arranging for autopsies where necessary, convening the coroners jury when it was required. So she also was technically very good at the job as well."
Former Sheriff Dick Meyers visited Fiduccia in her home three days before her death and said they had a very good conversation. Meyers said Fiduccia was a good person, a good friend and a good coroner who "led her life with a whole lot of dignity and class."
Meyers, Logli and Fiduccia were among a group of former county officials who often met on Saturday mornings at the Stockholm Inn for breakfast.
"She turned into just a wonderful friend," Meyers said. "So we'll miss her very much. She was a real asset to this community."
Former Rockford Police Chief Chet Epperson said Fiduccia was a fixture at virtually every major crime scene and tragedy for decades.
"She was always front and center on homicide calls, death calls. She was always cooperative with the police," Epperson said. "We had a very good working relationship with Coroner Fiduccia."
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.
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