SR0136 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0136 LRB098 10989 GRL 42083 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Justice Mary Ann McMorrow, the first woman to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court and its first female chief justice, who passed away on February 23, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow was a pioneer in the law profession during a career that spanned more than half a century; her legal career began when she was the lone woman in her graduating class at the School of Law at Loyola University in 1953; she became the first woman to try felony cases as an assistant Cook County State's attorney and continued her "first woman" status when her colleagues on the Supreme Court chose her as chief justice; throughout her career, she was a mentor to other women in the law; and

WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow was elected to the Circuit Court in 1976; in 1985, she went on to serve on the Appellate Court, where she was the first woman to serve as chair of the Executive Committee; she was elected to the Supreme Court in 1992 and served on the court until she retired on July 5, 2006; and

WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow served as chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court from September 2002 to September 2005; and

WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow was a gifted pianist; she was active in various charities and foundations and her church, St. Mary of the Woods, was a huge part of her life; she enjoyed opera, restaurants, and a good chocolate dessert; she graduated from Immaculata High School and Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest; and

WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow was preceded in death by her husband, Emmett; and

WHEREAS, Justice McMorrow is survived by her daughter, Mary Ann, and her sister, Frances; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Justice McMorrow and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Justice Mary Ann McMorrow as an expression of our deepest sympathy.