RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski has been called to eternal life by the wisdom of God at the age of seventy-nine; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of his passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski. was a widely admired member of the judicial community and the loving husband of Patricia; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski was the much-adored father of David and Neil and the beloved grandfather of four to whom he imparted many of the fine and noble qualities which he possessed in abundance; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1953, the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski served for two years as a Lieutenant in the United States Army; and
WHEREAS, At the completion of his military service, the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski earned his law degree from Northwestern University; and
WHEREAS, Prior to becoming an Associate Judge, the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski was the Chief of the first district of the Public Defender's Office; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski served for much of his judicial tenure in the criminal courts where his commitment to rehabilitation inspired him to create the Gang Free Program and hold mandatory weekly meetings with offenders on probation; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski was deeply concerned with the impact of crime on communities and was an active supporter of the neighborhood CAPS program; and
WHEREAS, Though firm in his own beliefs, the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski mastered the complex art of legal impartiality; and
WHEREAS, Colleagues of the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski will remember him as a principled individual who valued the opinions of others and treated everyone with utmost respect; and
WHEREAS, His sound advice and genuine desire to listen made the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski a sounding board for his family, friends, and colleagues; and
WHEREAS, Known as "Papa Ted" to his four granddaughters, the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski was actively involved in the day-to-day lives of his grandchildren and delighted in the chance to indulge them with little luxuries; and
WHEREAS, To his beloved family, the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski 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 twenty-eighth day of July, 2011, do hereby commemorate the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski 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 the Honorable Thaddeus L. Kowalski.
Alderman - 14th Ward