RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez has been called to eternal life by the wisdom of God at the age of 71; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of his passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez was a widely respected entrepreneur in Chicago's Little Village community; and
WHEREAS, A Mexican immigrant who arrived in Chicago in the 1950s, Jose de Jesus Cortes began his career as a steelworker and peddler and eventually saved enough money to launch his business; and
WHEREAS, Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez operated Cortes Ibanez Furniture at 3705 West 26th Street which sells a variety of products from stoves to clothes in order to help outfit newly-arrived Mexican immigrants with the essentials to start their new lives; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his role as a merchant, Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez was a real estate investor who owned commercial properties in the Little Village community as well as strip malls in his native Jalisco, Mexico; and
WHEREAS, Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez played an instrumental role in fixing a massive clock which was a gift from President Carlos Salinas of Mexico and adorns the Little Village Arch on 26th Street; and
WHEREAS, Jose de Jesus Cortes arranged to have a technician come from Mexico to fix the clock after it had failed to work for 23 years; and
WHEREAS, Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez was a highly popular figure in the Little Village community who will be remembered for his vision and dedication to others; and
WHEREAS, His love of life and ability to live it to the fullest endeared Jose de Jesus Cortes to his family members, friends and all who knew him, and enabled him to enrich their lives in ways they will never forget; and
WHEREAS, Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by his many relatives, friends and neighbors; and
WHEREAS, To his beloved family, Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez imparts a legacy of faithfulness, service and dignity; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this eighteenth day of May, 2016, do hereby commemorate Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez for his grace-filled life and do hereby express our condolences to his family; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Jose de Jesus Cortes Ibanez.
Alderman - 14th Ward