RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Sister Gwendolyn Durkin has been called to eternal life by the wisdom of God at the age of 91; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of her passing by Alderman Edward M Burke; and
WHEREAS, A resident of Chicago, Sister Gwendolyn Durkin was a widely admired member of the religious community; and
WHEREAS, Sister Gwendolyn Durkin was the much-adored aunt of nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and great-grand-nieces and nephews to whom she imparted many of the fine and noble qualities that she possessed in abundance; and
WHEREAS, Born on the South Side, Sister Gwendolyn Durkin attended St. Xavier University in Chicago and received her master's degree in sociology from Loyola University; and
WHEREAS, Sister Gwendolyn Durkin entered the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1949 and began to work at Mercy Hospital as a psychiatric social worker; and
WHEREAS, Sister Gwendolyn Durkin was the CEO of Mercy Hospital during the 1960s and led the institution through times of challenge and change; and
WHEREAS, Sister Gwendolyn Durkin temporarily sheltered and fed several hundred people who were stranded during Chicago's infamous 1967 snowstorm and helped to move the hospital to a new building in 1968; and
WHEREAS, Sister Gwendolyn Durkin worked for the state of Illinois in children's services and as an assistant administrator at both Misericordia and Holy Cross Hospital; and
WHEREAS, Sister Gwendolyn Durkin was also Mercy's Vice President of Human Resources where she worked on special projects before retiring; and
WHEREAS, In 2002 Sister Gwendolyn Durkin received the Woman of Mercy Award given by the Women's Board of Mercy Hospital and Medical Center; and
WHEREAS, The hard work, sacrifice and dedication of Sister Gwendolyn Durkin serve as an example to all; and
WHEREAS, Her love of life and ability to live it to the fullest endeared Sister Gwendolyn Durkin to her family members, friends and all who knew her, and enabled her to enrich their l...
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