Maggie Daley | Was mayor's wife, 68

Maggie Daley, 68, the wife of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and a gracious promoter of the city's cultural and educational programs, died Thursday.

Ms. Daley, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, was a reserved and dignified presence at her husband's side during his 22 eventful years as mayor.

"The mayor and his family would like to thank the people of Chicago for the many kindnesses they've shown Mrs. Daley over the years, and they appreciate your prayers during this time," family spokeswoman Jacquelyn Heard said.

When she learned she had breast cancer, Ms. Daley said she was shocked. "But you pick up and you move on. . . . I'm not alone here. There are a lot of people who have experienced this," Daley said in the weeks after the diagnosis.

President Obama, who is from Chicago, said in a statement that her efforts on behalf of the city's children "live on as national models for how to create environments for children to learn and grow outside the classroom."

The Daleys' daughter, Lally, had moved up her wedding from New Year's Eve to Nov. 17 so her mother could fully participate.

When Daley was elected to his first term as Chicago's mayor in 1989, he thanked his wife in his acceptance speech, calling her "the best campaigner in the family." She was with him at the September 2010 news conference when he announced he wouldn't seek another term.

Born Margaret Corbett, she earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Dayton and held honorary degrees from Columbia College in Chicago and the Catholic Theological Union. - AP