City Council July 21st,-2021
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Martyi Reinsdorf, spouse of Chicago Bulls and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, has been called to eternal life by the wisdom of God at the age of 85to her eternal reward; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of her passing by the Honorable Patrick D. Thompson, Alderman of the 11th Ward; and
WHEREAS, Martyi was bom in Denver, Colo., on March 4, 1.936, she was the daughter of Milton and Vivette (Ravel) Rifkin. The family moved to Chicago in 1944 where Reinsdorf attended Sutherland Elementary School and Morgan Park High School before majoring in Japanese and Chinese History at George Washington University where she met and married Jerry Reinsdorf in 1956'. She worked for the Defense Department at the Pentagon while in Washington, D.C., and then for the Department of Agriculture once the couple moved to Chicago. A renowned baker, Reinsdorf also enjoyed a life-long love of dogs.
WHEREAS, Reinsdorf had four children, daughter Susan,, sons David (deceased), Michael (Nancy.) and Jonathan (Holly), and nine grandchildren; while leaving a legacy with hundreds of thousands of children around the world who benefitted from the heart-felt gifts of "Grandma Martyi." The Reinsdorfs also want to acknowledge Dora Vazquez and Rhonda Astraus. Both were friends, aides and companions for Martyi, Vazquez for 43 years, and Astraus for over two decades; and Vi
WHEREAS, Reinsdorf, was an acclaimed fine arts creator of colorful Cloisonne jewelry who also designed five of the six Bulls NBA Championship rings, was involved with creating the other; and designed the White Sox World Series championship ring in 2005; and
WHEREAS, Reinsdorf was known for her dynamic personality and amazing creativity, Reinsdorf also was appreciated semi-anonymously by children throughout the world as "Grandma Martyi," As "Grandma Martyi," Reinsdorf quietly created arid distributed over one million coloring books, crayons, markers and toys to hospitals, orphanages and shelters across the world, including to survivors of Hurricane Katrina, residents of Ronald McDonald Houses, patients at Lurie Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago and Phoenix Children's Hospital and young vision-impaired patients at The Spcctrios Institute for Low Vision (formerly Dcicke Eye Center), to mention only a few of the.many institutions that received her care, packages; and
City Council July 21st, 2021
WHEREAS, Reinsdorf and her husband were generous supporters of many charities in Chicago, Phoenix, Israel and across the: world. She received the 2004 Clarence Troyer Volunteer of the Year Award, and she was recognized in 2011 by American Friends of Hebrew University with the Torch of Learning Award; and
WHEREAS, Her iove of life and ability to live it to the fullest endeared Martyi to her family
members, friends and all who knew her, and enabled her to enrich their lives in ways they will
never forget; now, therefore ; I
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago gathered here this twenty first of July 2021, do hereby; express our sorrow on the death of Martyi Reinsdorf and extend to her family and friends our deepest sympathy; and
Patrick D. Thompson Alderman, 11th Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Marty! Reinsdorf \
