SR0471 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0471 LRB097 15063 KXB 60140 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Margaret "Maggie" Daley, who passed away on November 24, 2011; and

WHEREAS, Margaret Ann Daley was born Margaret Corbett to Patrick and Elizabeth Corbett on July 21, 1943, in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania; she was their youngest child and only daughter; and

WHEREAS, She attended St. Francis Academy High School and the University of Dayton; a job with the Xerox Corporation led her to Chicago for what she promised would only be a short time; and

WHEREAS, She met Richard M. Daley at a Christmas party in 1970; they fell in love and were engaged by the following November; they were married at the St. Francis Retreat House in Pennsylvania on March 25, 1972, with her brother John as the celebrant of the mass; and

WHEREAS, The couple honeymooned in Europe; while in Rome they received congratulations and well wishes from Pope Paul VI; upon their return home they settled in Bridgeport, just blocks from Richard's boyhood home; and

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Daley welcomed their first child, Nora, in 1973 and their first son, Patrick, 2 years later; in 1978, their third child, Kevin was born with spina bifida, a disease with which he struggled until it took his young life in 1981; while she mourned the loss of her son, she felt that the experience helped her and her family to appreciate what is really important and enjoy each day; and

WHEREAS, The Daleys welcomed their youngest child, Elizabeth, in 1983; the family would enjoy the attractions Chicago had to offer, but they were just as likely to spend family time playing a board game; and

WHEREAS, Margaret Daley became increasingly active in the civic and cultural life of the city; she served on the auxiliary board of the Art Institute and the women's board of the Chicago Rehabilitation Institute; when her husband became mayor in 1989, Mrs. Daley's opportunities for involvement in civic projects increased; she soon became involved with the preservation of the Chicago Cultural Center; and

WHEREAS, Margaret Daley teamed with Lois Weisberg, then commissioner of cultural affairs, to launch Gallery 37, a program aimed at promoting arts training and jobs for Chicago youth; this project evolved into After Schools Matters, a private program to provide teens with educational and career-oriented activities in such areas as sports and technology; she served as chair of its board of directors; and

WHEREAS, She was appointed by President Clinton to the President's Committee for the Arts and Humanities; she also served as a trustee for the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, Saint Ignatius College Preparatory Academy, Mount Carmel High School, and the Francis Xavier Warde Schools; and

WHEREAS, She served as President of Pathways Awareness Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the benefit of early detection and early therapy for children with physical movement differences; and

WHEREAS, Margaret Daley provided leadership in numerous other non-profit and civic organizations, including the Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University, the Children at the Crossroads Foundation, and the Golden Apple Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Margaret Daley bravely and heroically waged a 9 year battle with cancer; even during her struggle she remained positive and was quick to downplay her struggles and call attention to the needs of others; and

WHEREAS, Margaret Daley will be remembered for the love she and Richard shared throughout their 39 year marriage, her dedication to her family, her unwavering sense of humor, and her tireless work to preserve and further the civic and cultural life of the City of Chicago as its longtime First Lady; and

WHEREAS, Margaret Daley is survived by her husband, Richard; her son, Patrick; her 2 daughters, Nora Daley Conroy (Sean) and Elizabeth "Lally" Daley Hotchkiss (Samuel); and 3 grandchildren, Margaret, John, and Kevin; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family, friends and the City of Chicago, the passing of Margaret Daley; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Margaret Daley as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.