RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Gladys Hillcoat Goodmonson was born on September 22, 1915, and will begin the celebration of her 99th birthday this week; and
WHEREAS, the City Council, has been informed of this milestone event by the Honorable Brendan Reilly, Alderman of the 42nd Ward; and
WHEREAS, Gladys was born to immigrant parents: her father, James, came to this country from Scotland and her mother, Tilly, from Germany; and
WHEREAS, Gladys graduated from Senn High School in 1932 and completed her formal education by graduating from Chicago Commercial College; and
WHEREAS, She married Edward Gottfred, and their union was blessed by the birth of three sons: Ronald, Richard and Robert; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Gottfred died in 1949, shortly after the birth of the couple's youngest child;
and
WHEREAS, after the death of Mr. Gottfred, Gladys worked in a variety of administrative positions, until her marriage in 1959 Gladys married to Ivan Goodmonson, successful owner and operator the Erie-LaSalle Body Shop; and
WHEREAS, after their marriage, the Goodmonsons became a blended family. Gladys became the loving stepmother of Ivan's children, Robert and Darlene; and Ivan brought his stepson into what remains a successful family business; and
WHEREAS, Gladys and Ivan enjoyed traveling the world together, and she became active in cultural and philanthropic circles: she was an active member of the Symphony of America and the Opera Society, a strong supporter of Leap Learning Systems of Chicago, and in 2012 was named Woman of the year by the Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge; and
WHEREAS, through her caring and giving spirit, Gladys Goodmonson continues as an inspiration to all Chicagoans, and is indeed worthy of being celebrated; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this 30th day of July, 2014, do hereby extend our most sincere congratulations to Gladys Goodmonson as we join her family and many friends i...
Click here for full text