RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, MARYFRANCES VEECK, was born September 1, 1920 in Pittsburgh, PA, and lived with her parents Raymond and Theresa Jane Ackerman until her early 20s;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances developed a love of theatre and music while at Carnegie Technical High School, and joined the cast ofthe Pittsburgh Playhouse Ensemble;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances was hired by John Harris, the legendary Ice Capades promoter, to serve as Press Agent, a position she held until 1949;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances met the love of her life and future husband Bill Veeck in September 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio, and the two were married in 1950;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances and her husband also lived in Los Angeles California, St. Louis Missouri, and on two ranches near Tucson, Arizona during the first nine years of their marriage;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances and her four children moved to the Hyde Park neighborhood in 1959 after Bill and his group bought the Chicago White Sox;
WHEREAS, in 1961, Maryfrances and Bill left the Hyde Park neighborhood for Easton, Pennsylvania after Bill sold the White Sox due to health issues; they returned to Hyde Park in 1975 when they bought the ball club a second time;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances and Bill sold the White Sox in 1981 and then purchased a home in Madison Park in the Hyde Park area;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances led a full life raising six children in challenging times, she was awarded Chicago Mother ofthe Year, and also threw herself into her work with volunteer activities that included working at the ballpark every day during the season until the club was sold;
WHEREAS, in addition, Maryfrances hosted a radio show with her husband Bill (Maryfrances & Friend); wrote a monthly column for four years (the Northshore Magazine); served as a Chicago election judge for more than two decades, was a proud Hyde Park Co-op member/volunteer; and for five years taught many adults to read through a program operated by St. Thomas, the Apostle Parish;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances took classes and volunteered in various capacities at the Catholic Theological Union (CTU) and, in recognition, the CTU Art Gallery is named for Maryfrances and Bill;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances; worked tirelessly to raise funds for the Advocate Illinois Masonic Trauma Center to show her gratitude for the care it gave to her husband Bill before his death in 1986;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances has lived in Hyde Park for almost 50 years, and especially enjoys its past and present restaurants such as LaPetite Folie, Piccolo Mondo, Valois, Ribs 'N Bibs, Bangkok, Chances R, and also its museums, lakefront area, and parties at The Point;
WHEREAS, residents throughout Hyde Park were well acquainted with the lady ofthe giant tricycle with her shopping bag on her back, even if they did not know that the speedster was Maryfrances Veeck;
WHEREAS, Maryfrances Veeck will be 102 years of age on September 1, 2022.
NOW THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this 23rd day of April, 2022, do hereby honor the community service of MARYFRANCES VEECK, and extend our congratulations to her for 50 years of community service, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that suitable copies of this Resolution be presented to MARYFRANCES VEECK as a sign of our good wishes.
Alderman Leslie A. Hairston 5th Ward