Funeral held for Chicago Ald. JoAnn Thompson

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Friends and family gathered at Freedom Temple Monday for the funeral of Chicago Alderman JoAnn Thompson, who died last week.

Thompson died at the age of 58 after aortic valve replacement surgery.

"She was a sweet person, a lovely person and we all loved her," Wille Gant said. "She was my card partner. At one time, I know I wasn't supposed to say that, I know. But we did, we had a lot of fun together."

"We are seniors. And she loved her seniors," Marvell Lloyd said.

Thompson was running for her third term in the February 24 election. In 2007, she was first elected to the 16th Ward. She is best known for her push to get a Whole Foods store into the Englewood neighborhood. She succeeded.

"She put her heart into it. And when she used to tell us about the building she wanted to build, she had her heart in it. Just hear her talking about it, you would feel it," Lloyd said.

She is survived by three children and four grandchildren.