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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Justice Mary Ann McMorrow, the first
4woman to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court and its first
5female chief justice, who passed away on February 23, 2013; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow was a pioneer in the law
7profession during a career that spanned more than half a
8century; her legal career began when she was the lone woman in
9her graduating class at the School of Law at Loyola University
10in 1953; she became the first woman to try felony cases as an
11assistant Cook County State's attorney and continued her "first
12woman" status when her colleagues on the Supreme Court chose
13her as chief justice; throughout her career, she was a mentor
14to other women in the law; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow was elected to the Circuit Court
16in 1976; in 1985, she went on to serve on the Appellate Court,
17where she was the first woman to serve as chair of the
18Executive Committee; she was elected to the Supreme Court in
191992 and served on the court until she retired on July 5, 2006;
20and
 
21    WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow served as chief justice of the
22Illinois Supreme Court from September 2002 to September 2005;

 

 

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1and
 
2    WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow was a gifted pianist; she was
3active in various charities and foundations and her church, St.
4Mary of the Woods, was a huge part of her life; she enjoyed
5opera, restaurants, and a good chocolate dessert; she graduated
6from Immaculata High School and Rosary College (now Dominican
7University) in River Forest; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow was preceded in death by her
9husband, Emmett; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow is survived by her daughter, Mary
11Ann, and her sister, Frances; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
14Justice McMorrow and extend our sincere condolences to her
15family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
16further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Justice Mary Ann McMorrow as an
19expression of our deepest sympathy.