RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, John B. Duff has been called to eternal life by the wisdom of God at the age of eighty-two; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of his passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, John B. Duff was a widely admired historian and education administrator and the loving husband of Estelle Shanley; and
WHEREAS, John B. Duff was the much-adored father of Michael, John, Robert, Patricia, Maureen and Emily, and the grandfather of eight to whom he imparted many of the fine and noble qualities that he possessed in abundance; and
WHEREAS, Named Commissioner of the Chicago Public Library in 1985, John B. Duff became the first non-librarian to head the system; and
WHEREAS, During his seven-year tenure, John B. Duff oversaw the construction of the Harold Washington Library Center in the South Loop; and
WHEREAS, In 1993 John B. Duff became the eighth President of Columbia College; and
WHEREAS, Under the leadership and vision of John B. Duff, the college instituted a tenure system and attracted out-of-state students with the construction of its first campus dormitory; and
WHEREAS, Earlier in his career, John B. Duff served as the President of the University of Lowell in Massachusetts; and
WHEREAS, John B. Duff authored four books on American and American-Irish history; and
WHEREAS, The hard work, sacrifice and dedication of John B. Duff serve as an example to all; and
WHEREAS, John B. Duff will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by his many relatives, friends and admirers; and
WHEREAS, To his beloved family, John B. Duff 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 sixteenth day of October, 2013, do hereby commemorate John B. Duff 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 John B. Duff.