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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
JAMES J O’CONNOR, IN MEMORIAM
WHEREAS Almighty God in His infinite wisdom has called James J. O’Connor from our midst, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor was the beloved husband of Ellen (nee Lawlor), and
WHEREAS James O’Connor was the loving father of Fred (Jill), James (Julie), and Elizabeth Cole (Michael), and
WHEREAS James O’Connor was the cherished grandfather of John Thomas, James, Matthew, Brad, Will, Brendan, Charlotte, Caroline, and Regan, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor was preceded in death by his young son John, sisters Kay and Patricia, and his parents Fred and Helen, an
WHEREAS James O’Connor attended St. Ignatius College Prep High School, earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the College of the Holy Cross, obtained his MBA at Harvard University, and received his JD from Georgetown, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor proudly served in the United States Air Force and later in life was the civilian executive counsel to the US Army, and
WEHREAS James O’Connor began his career at Commonwealth Edison in 1963 as a lineman on a service truck, among other various positions, leading up to the role of President and CEO of Commonwealth Edison, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor served in the role of Chairman at Edison Electric Institute, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and the Nuclear Energy Institute, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor served on many civic and charitable boards including: American Cancer Society, Big Shoulders Fund, Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, Catholic Charities, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Field Museum of Natural History, Irish Fellowship Club, Millennium Park Foundation, Museum of Science and Industry, 100 Club of Illinois, Chicago Urban League, and United Way, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor was a Trustee of College of the Holy Cross, Northwestern University and Saint Xavier University, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor was a Life Trustee for Adler Planetarium, Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, Chicago History Museum, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Committee for Economic Development and the Lyric Opera, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor was a member of Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, Chicago Commonwealth Club and Economic Club of Chicago, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor had many honors; Lincoln Laureate, Chicago Business Hall of Fame, Daniel Burnham Award, Irish American Hall of Fame, Making History Award for Distinction in Corporate Leadership and innovation, Harvard’s Man of the Year and Holy Cross’ Man of the Year, and
WHEREAS James O’Connor had many Honorary Degrees; DePaul University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Roosevelt University, Lewis University and Saint Xavier University; Chair in Decision and Game Sciences at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and
WHEREAS all who knew him will attest that James O’Connor was a kind and compassionate man, virtuous of character and gentle in spirit, admired and respected by his many friends and neighbors, and dearly loved by his family, now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of Cook County that the Board does hereby offer its deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathy to the family and many friends of James O’Connor and joins them in sorrow at this time of loss, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body, and a suitable copy of same be tendered to the family of James O’Connor that his memory may be so honored and ever cherished.
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