Mayor Van Buer dies at 74

DeKalb Mayor Frank Van Buer died Wednesday morning following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. As word of his death spread throughout the community, friends and constituents remembered a man dedicated to his family and the city. Van Buer, 74, has served as mayor since May 2005. He was diagnosed with the fast-spreading cancer in April and had been receiving chemotherapy treatment. He died at his home Wednesday morning, leaving behind a wife, three children and seven grandchildren. Despite his illness, Van Buer's daughter, Michelle Lenkaitis, said her father challenged others to continue to grow. “He told me one time that if you try something new, the worst off you're going to be is back off where you started,” Lenkaitis said. Van Buer w