RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, It is with great sadness that the members of this chamber learned of the departure of Dolores Ryan Creighton on April 14th, 2017 at the age of 88; and
WHEREAS, This esteemed body has been notified of her passing by the Honorable Matt O'Shea, Alderman ofthe 19th Ward; and
WHEREAS, Dolores J. Creighton (nee Burke) was the beloved wife ofthe late CFD Lieutenant Bernard "Gene" Ryan and they had twelve children. She was the cherished mother of Dr. Bernard "Gene" (Nancy) Ryan, Thomas (Vicki) Ryan, Edward (Julie) Ryan, Mary (the late Daniel) Paska, Ann (Dr. Marco) De La Cruz, Maureen (Timothy) McDougall, Denis (Colleen) Ryan, Gigi (David) Tyson, Barrie Ryan, Erin (Brett) Reum, John (Anita) Ryan and the late Johanna (Charles) McDonough; and
WHEREAS, After Gene's death, in 1975 she met CPD Police Lieutenant Jim Creighton on a department-sponsored cruise. The following year they got married. Dolores was the loving stepmother of Maureen (William) Hill and Joanice (Robert) Kellam; adored grandmother of forty-six, especially the late Peter Ryan, and blessed great grandmother of thirty-five; fond sister of the late James Burke; caring aunt of many nieces and nephews and treasured friend to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. Dolores leaves a legacy of faith, dignity and love; and
WHEREAS, Family was the core of Dolores's life, they would gather together spending quality time at their vacation home in Grand Beach, Michigan. She stressed to her children the importance of education; and
WHEREAS, Dolores joined the Chicago Police Department (CPD) in 1971 and was assigned to Area 2 Youth Division. A mother of seven daughters, Dolores made it her purpose to help victims of sexual violence and she strongly believed that female victims would be more comfortable giving their statements to a woman. Her advocacy lead to the establishment of the CPD "Rape Squad" in 1974, a program where only female officers interviewed female rape victims; and
WHEREAS, Dolores trained over 100 female police officers with the skills needed to help make the program a tremendous success, leading to an increase in the number of women willing to testify in court about their sexual assaults, which lead to more convictions. Within the CPD, she was known as an expert on rape and child abuse, she represented the Chicago Police Department on television and radio programs including Kennedy and Company, the Phil Donahue Show, and Kup's Show. Dolores, along with her colleagues, helped the Philadelphia Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department adopt similar programs; and
WHEREAS, Dolores was a vital member of her community who touched the lives of all who knew her through her kindness, generosity and vivacious spirit. She will be deeply missed, but the memory of her character, intelligence and compassion will live on in those who knew and loved her; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this twenty-fourth day of May, 2017, do hereby express our sorrow on the passing of Dolores Ryan Creighton and extend to her family our sincere condolences.