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222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza
Chicago, IL, 60654
312-380-9883
Chicago's honorary brown street signs, days, and commemorative honors; the who, what, where, when and why. Honorary Chicago guide book, maps, biographies, history, trivia, tours, and gifts.
Filtering by Tag: Cancer
Matt Hooker was a wrestling coach who succumbed to cancer in the prime of his life and career.
Alum:
Mt. Carmel High School
West 113th Street, between South Artesian Avenue and South Maplewood Avenue
Ward: 19
Alderman: O’Shea
Neighborhood: Morgan Park
d. Age 40
Source
20222673
Thomas J. O’Rourke, better known as “Cowboy” was a photographer who showcased the Lincoln Park neighborhood where they lived.
Peggy Barber led the Public Information Office of the American Library Association for 30 years, and was the driving force behind successful promotional campaigns such as National Library Week and READ posters which featured celebrities. She was the chairman of the National Coalition for Literacy, and the Community Advisory Board for WBEZ public radio in Chicago.
Together they played Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus for the neighborhood kids and made sure every child was included.
Alum: Peggy
University of California, Riverside
Rutgers University
1800 block of North Fremont Street from Willow to Wisconsin
Ward: 43
Alderman: Smith
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Tom
d. 2008
Peggy
d. August 25, 2019. Age 75.
Lung Cancer
Source
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/ct-peggy-barber-obituary-20190920-zmahikzubren7lyjzl4hoxha4i-story.html
20221098
Mary Delores Espinosa-Matos was a preschool teacher at El Hogar del Nino, in the Pilsen neighborhood. She began teaching in 1985 and dedicated her life to helping migrant families.
Alum:
Roosevelt University
Richards Vocational High School
Ward: 25
Alderman: Sigcho-Lopez
Neighborhood: Pilsen
b. October 7, 1948 in Chicago
d. February 22, 2002 Age 53.
Source
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2002-02-26-0202260162-story.html
2022832
Steve Cunneen opened his namesake bar on Devon Avenue in 1972. He, and the tavern, were neighborhood staples for 50 years. Steve was a fan of Jazz music and woodworking. He made made many of the bar tables and the stained glass above the door.
Alum:
University of Illinois at Chicago
Ward: 49
Alderman: Hadden
Neighborhood: Rogers Park
b.
d. February 2022. Age 86
Cunneens’s 1424 W. Devon Ave
Source
https://chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2022/2/17/22929689/steve-cunneen-cunneens-tavern-rogers-park
https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/02/17/after-cunneens-owner-steve-cunneen-dies-widow-takes-over-beloved-bar-as-it-turns-50/
https://chibarproject.com/reviews/cunneens/
2022749
Rudy Malnati, Jr. opened Pizano’s Pizza in 1991 in the tradition his father Rudy, Sr. mastered at the original Pizzaria Uno, where the Chicago style deep dish pizza tradition was born in 1943.
His half-brother founded the namesake “Lou Malnati’s Pizzaria.”
Rudy was also a Chicago civic leader who was the Director of the Chicago Air & Water Show for 30 years. He attended every Air & Water Show since it began in Chicago in 1959. He also coordinated the Milwaukee, Gary, and Rockford shows. The Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds made him an honorary member of their squadrons.
Ward: 2
Alderman: Hopkins
Neighborhood: Gold Coast
d. December 24, 2021. Age 65
near 864 N. State Street - Pizano’s Pizza
Source
https://www.pizanoschicago.com/about-pizanos/
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20211226/rudy-malnati-jr-member-of-pizza-dynasty-director-of-air-and-water-show-dead-at-65
2022476
Thomas F. Markham, Jr was a very popular, multi-sport coach in the Clearing neighborhood at St. Symphorosa Catholic School. At 6 feet, 6 inches in height - he was known by all as “Big Tom.” Sports was always part of his life and the grand legacy that he passed on to his children and all the young athletes he coached through the years.
Tom grew up on the southwest side of Chicago
Alumnus:
Grimes School
De LaSalle High School
Northern Michigan University
6000 block of South Melvina Avenue
Ward: 13
Alderman: Quinn
Neighborhood: Clear Ridge
b. July 4, 1957
d. 2017. Age 59
2022619
Karen Lewis was the President of the Chicago Teacher’s Union from 2010 to 2014. Previously she had been a chemistry teacher for 22 years at Sullivan High School, Lane Tech, and King College Prep. She also spoke three languages.
Karen Lewis ran for the CTU to oppose privatization and mayoral control of schools as part of CORE (Caucus of Rank and File Educators). During her tenure she oversaw a 7-day strike in 2012, another work stoppage in 2014, reduced pay for Union officers, and expanded Union outreach efforts. She blocked efforts to impose merit pay and teacher evaluations all amid school consolidations and closures.
She was the only African-American woman in her graduating class from Dartmouth College, she transferred to Dartmouth when they started admitting women.
Karen was a resident of Bronzeville. She grew up on Chicago’ s south side, both her parents were Chicago Public School teachers.
Alum:
Kenwood High School
Mount Holyoke College
Dartmouth College, BA 1974
Northern Illinois University, Masters
Southeast corner of North Damen Avenue and West Carroll Avenue
Ward: 27
Alderman: Burnett
Neighborhood: West Loop
b. July 20, 1953
d. February 7, 2021. Age 67
2022491
Phillip Jackson was the founder of the Black Star Project and a former Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) and Chief of Education for the City of Chicago. Prior to entering pubic service he had a 24-year career with Kroch’s and Brentano’s booksellers, rising from stock room to Sr. Vice President of Operations.
Among his numerous recognitions, he was honored as an Education Champion of Change at the White House during the Barack Obama administration, and as Education Man of the Year at the Bud Billikin Parade.
In 1996 he started the Black Star Project to eliminate the education gap among low income black and latinx youth. Black Star focused on tutors, mentors, and parents - including the Million Father March, taking their kids to school on the first day of the school year. Educational programs include: Saturday University, Math Boot Camp, Reading Academy, and private tutoring.
Phillip Jackson was born into the Altgeld Garden public housing project in Chicago and later lived in the Bronzeville neighborhood.
National Lewis University
Roosevelt University
DuSable High School
Chicago Public Schools
Ward: 4
Alderman: Sophia King
Neighborhood: Bronzeville
Black Star Project
3509 S. Martin Luther King Drive
b. September 22, 1950. Chicago.
d. November 4, 2018. Age 68.
Source
Black Star Project
Block Club Chicago
TheHistoryMakers.org
GameChangersProject.org
Juan Suarez was a very popular DJ of House and Freestyle on WCYC in 1984, and later WCEV, and WRLL radio. Juan was born in Chicago and grew up in the Little Village neighborhood. At age 9 he lost his sight, but that did not stop him from pursuing the life in music he loved. He started his career as a DJ, spinning vinyl records at age 20.
Born in Chicago
Ward: 22
Alderman: Rodriguez
Neighborhood: Little Village
b. May 26, 1965. Chicago
d. November 17, 2020. Age 55. Cancer and COVID
Betty Price ran a soup kitchen in the Englewood neighborhood for 30 years. She founded Feed, Clothe, and Help the Needy (FCHN) in 1988, originally running it out of her own home; it now feeds more than 1000 each week.
West Elizabeth Street from 57th Street to 59th Street
Ward: 19
Alderman: Coleman
Neighborhood: Englewood
d. September 2, 2020. Age 71. Chicago. Cancer
Near
Feed, Clothe and Help the Needy soup kitchen
1234 West 59th Street
Gary G. Hughes was a Chicago Police Officer for 19 years, and a Major in the U.S. Army active duty and reserves since the age of 20.
Veteran: U..S Army, Major. Panama, Operation Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan
Ward: 13
Alderman: Quinn
Neighborhood: Clearing
b. November 30, 1967
d. February 28, 2018. Age 50. Cancer
Jeanne Marie Uzdawinis was the co-owner of Cafe Selmarie in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. She and Birgit Kobayashi were neighbors on Giddings Street who started the European styled cafe in 1983. The Cafe began as a bakery featuring what became Jeanne’s famous hazelnut cheesecake. It has grown in size and popularity with Lincoln Square itself, and is now a full restaurant. Cafe Selmarie moved to the Lincoln Square Plaza in 1999 Cafe Selmarie celebrated 35 years in business in 2018.
Jeanne grew up in Indianapolis and came to Chicago to study dance at Columbia College.
Jeanne Uzdawinis, who ran Cafe Selmarie, the popular Lincoln Square eatery, dies at age 63 https://t.co/2kpRCerBqB pic.twitter.com/MBtsB8CdWT
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) October 13, 2017
Alumni
University of North Carolina School of the Arts (Dance)
University of Wisconsin, Madison (Zoology)
Columbia College, Chicago (Dance)
Approved: July 2018
Ward: 47
Alderman: Pawar
Neighborhood: Ravenswood
d. October 8, 2017. Age 63
ovarian cancer
Near
Cafe Selmarie
4729 North Lincoln Avenue
on Lincoln Square Plaza
Seymour F. Simon was the Chief Justice on the Illinois Supreme Court, former Cook County Board President, and former Alderman of the 40th Ward. He became known for his dissenting opinions in court, and against Mayor and the party line. Roslyn started her own corporate gifts business after the death of her first husband. She is also a was a former Radio City Music Hall Rockette and competed in the Miss America Pagent as Miss Philadelphia.
Alumni (Seymour):
Roosevelt High School
Northwestern University
Northwestern Law
Veteran: Navy, WWII
Ward:
Alderman:
Neighborhood: Old Town/Gold Coast
Seymour
b. August 10, 1915. Chicago
d. September 2006. Age 91. Chicago
Roslyn
b. 2015
d. April 12, 2007. Age 91. Chicago
Anthony Pappalas was a seven year old who died from a rare form of brain cancer called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).
When the sign was dedicated the neighborhood was decorated in ribbons of Orange (Anthony’s favorite color) and Grey (the color for brain cancer).
The Defeat DIPG Network Chicago branch is called “Anthony’s Avengers.”
Ward: 19
Alderman: O’Shea
Neighborhood: Mt Greenwood
“Jerry” Kehoe was everyone’s favorite neighbor and fix-it-guy.
Ward: 38
Alderman: Sposado
Neighborhood: Portage Park
Source
Facebook: For the Love of Jerry
Ivan de Jesus Reyes was born in Chicago and raised in the Pilsen neighborhood who worked as a Senior Pharmacy Technician. He graduated with a degree in Biology which he put to use as a researcher at the University of Illinois, studying plant invasive species which had applications in agriculture and renewable energy. In his community he was known as an active volunteer, a great neighbor, and huge baseball fan. He was a member of the congregation at St. Pius V Catholic Church. His diagnosis with cancer at age 31 did not dampen his outlook on life nor his role as a mentor and volunteer at the local YMCA and Harrison Park.
Alumni:
Cooper Elementary School
Whitney Young High School
Northeastern Illinois University
Ward: 25
Alderman: Byron Sigcho-Lopez
Neighborhood: Pilsen
b. October 3, 1983. Chicago
d. July 12, 2016. Chicago
Emily Beazley was a 12 year old who died following a four year battle with cancer and deeply moved her friends, family, classmates, neighborhood, and Grammy Award Winner Taylor Swift. “Emily’s Entourage” was her purple and green clad fan base which raised money for her care and the establishment of the foundation in her name to find a cure for childhood cancers.
Honorary Chicago Police Officer
Approved: May 2015
Ward: 19
Alderman:
Neighborhood: Mount Greenwood
b. 2002
d. 2015. Age 12. Chicago
Near
Her home
Source
https://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?n=emily-beazley&pid=174896611
Esther Golar served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2006 until her death in 2015. Esther believed in strong communities and fiercely supported the rights of the elderly, families, and the struggling. She served on committees on a wide range of issues including; education, healthcare, and crime. She was the voice of the 6th District on the Southwest side of Chicago, and sometime she delivered her message on the House floor in song. Before her career in politics she was a community organizer and worked for the Community Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS). She moved to Chicago from Mississippi as a child.
Ward: 20
Alderman: Cochran
Neighborhood: Englewood
b. 1944. Merigold, Mississippi
d. 2015. Age 71.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-state-rep-esther-golar-dies-met-0922-20150921-story.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Golar