adopted by The City Council
of the City of Chicago, Illinois
TRIBUTE TO FINNIE L. HAIRE
WHEREAS, on January 26, 2021, almighty God, in His infinite wisdom, has granted eternal peace to Finnie L. Ha ire, legendary shrimp shack owner and an outstanding member of the Auburn-Gresham community; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from Wendell Phillips High School, Haire served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Cuban missile crisis and four tours of duty in Vietnam as well as being stationed in Japan. After his honorable discharge, he returned to Chicago to further his education and attain practical skills; and
WHEREAS, Finnie Haire, matriculated at Kennedy King College, Business Institute of Technology, Beauty & Barber College, and Chicago State University where he studied business management, utilizing those acquired skills to perform data control for IBM; and
WHEREAS, for three decades, Finnie Haire was employed by the U.S. Postal Service, retiring in 1992 as General Forman, a position that he was initially denied. However, after traveling to Washington, D.C. and meeting with the Postmaster General, he was given that position and, within a year, he was able to build a task force and introduce efficiencies that saved the postal service $14 million by resolving Chicago's mis-sorted mail; and
WHEREAS, after leaving the post office, Finnie Haire opened up a shrimp shack in an old railroad caboose car on Stoney Island Avenue, utilizing a century-old secret recipe for deep-fried Gulf shrimp originating with Haire's family in Louisiana. Haire's small, family-owned business established two other Gulf shriinp restaurants on Vincenhes Avenue; and
WHEREAS, in addition to his successful business ventures, Finnie Haire was a father of five, grandfather to 29, and great-grandfather of eight; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Roderick Sawyer, Alderman of the 6th Ward has apprised this august body of the passing of this icon ofthis city's South Side at the age of 80; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City of Chicago City Council, gathered this 24th Day sof February, 2021 AD, do hereby express our sincere sorrow upon the passing of Finnie L. Haire and extend our deepest condolences to his family, close friends and the many people whose lives he touched.
Roderick T. Sawyer Alderman - 6th Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to the family of Finnie L. Haire.