RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, This august Body wishes to extend its heart-felt sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of former Law Department Deputy Corporation Counsel Edward James Wong, Jr. upon his passing on April 7, 2019; and
WHEREAS, Ed Wong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on November 25, 1942 to Edward James Wong, Sr. and Ethel Wong; and
WHEREAS, He was educated in the New Orleans Public School system before graduating from the prestigious all-boys Catholic High School, St. Augustine, in New Orleans; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Wong excelled in his studies at St. Augustine and as a result he had the distinction of being named the salutatorian of his senior high school class; and
WHEREAS, Following graduation from high school, he attended Xavier University in New Orleans for two years before graduating from Loyola University, Chicago; he thereafter attended DePaul University Law School where he obtained his J.D.; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Wong had the good fortune of meeting Marie Bijou, his bride-to-be, and married her in 1962; the happy couple was blessed with two loving children, Michelle and Edward James Wong III; and
WHEREAS, Following graduation from law school, Mr. Wong worked briefly as an associate attorney for the law firm Arnstein, Gluck, Weitzenfeld & Minow. Mr. Wong then joined the law firm Sachnoff, Schragger, Jones, Weaver and Rubenstein, Ltd.; and
WHEREAS, Only a few years later, Mr. Wong was elected as a partner at Sachnoff during a time in America when it was virtually unheard of for an African-American attorney to be named partner at a well-established law firm; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Wong practiced law at Sachnoff for over 25 years before leaving to become Deputy Corporation Counsel of the Finance and Real Estate Division of the City of . Chicago Law Department; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Wong was such a devoted public servant that he remained with the City Law Department for over 20 years until his retirement in 2016 at the age of 74, having gained the admiration o...
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