MEMORIAL RESOLUTION CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF ANDREW "SEAN" NOONAN
WHEREAS, Andrew "Sean" Noonan, husband, brother, friend, and teacher, passed away on April 7, 2022, at the age of 52; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of Sean's passing by the Honorable Samantha Nugent, Alderman of the 39th Ward; and
WHEREAS, Sean grew up in East St. Louis and was raised by his father, Joe, who taught Sean how to fight for himself and his loved ones; Joe imparted to Sean a fierce independence and Joe helped foster Sean's seemingly endless curiosity about the world; and
WHEREAS, His love of knowledge and pursuit of truth lead Sean to Kansas State University where he obtained a PhD in Sociology; his passion and abilities made him an outstanding sociology professor at Harper College and a formidable intellectual who was self-taught in many subjects beyond sociology; and
WHEREAS, Sean was the smartest and most principled person many of his friends and family knew, and he was not afraid to stand up for his beliefs - even when they were the most unpopular in the room; he was a great political strategist and thinker and the advancement of the working class was his lifelong passion; and
WHEREAS, As a union leader, Sean secured good contracts for teachers, took leading roles in organizing and promoting successful strikes, co-founded the Educators for a Democratic Union, and turned the Cook County Colleges Teachers Union into a fighting social organizing union; he helped establish political organizations for the working-class and worked in international solidarity movements; and
WHEREAS, Sean was very sociable around his neighborhood and was locally known as the "Mayor of North Branch"; he found relaxation in nature, watching European football, practicing at the gun range, and cherished road trips and bird watching with his wife, Stephanie; and
WHEREAS, A fighter to the end, Sean battled cancer for 13 months longer than his original prognosis, and still, despite pain and physical limitations, found joy in doing what he loved; and
WHEREAS, Sean is survived by his corazon, Stephanie; brothers, David, Chris, and Zach; dear friends, Hannah, Jess, Molly, and Ashley; and the thousands of students he taught and inspired; and
WHEREAS, Sean's spirit will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and all who loved him; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this twenty-seventh day of April, 2022, do hereby extend our most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Andrew "Sean" Noonan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to the family of Andrew "Sean" Noonan as a sign of our honor and respect.
