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222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza
Chicago, IL, 60654
312-380-9883
Chicago's honorary brown street signs, days, and commemorative honors; the who, what, where, when and why. Honorary Chicago guide book, maps, biographies, history, trivia, tours, and gifts.
Filtering by Tag: Honorary Brown Sign
James W. Southward Sr.
Ward: 27
Alderman: Walter Burnett, Jr
Neighborhood: Garfield Park
Source
202410061
Leo Louchios was the founder of the Chicago Greektown Educational Foundation. He also served as a Senior Advisor at the State of Illinois to the Secretary of State Office.
Ward: 34
Alderman: Bill Conway
Neighborhood: West Loop
b. December 10, 1956 in Cyprus
d. August 3, 2023. Age 66
Dedicated: September 5, 2024
for the opening of the Taste of Greektown Festival
Source
202410008
https://www.colonialfuneral.com/obituaries/Leo-C-Louchios?obId=28622051
https://chicago.suntimes.com/obituaries/2023/8/9/23826233/leo-louchios-greektown-adviser-jesse-white-alexi-giannoulias
James B. Lemons was the owner of Lem’s Bar-B-Q, famous for Mississippi style, open pit, slow cooked pork rib tips. The restaurant was established by his older brothers, Bruce and Myles Lemons, in the 195o’s and has been serving Chicago for more than 70 years.
Ward: 06
Alderman: William Hall
Neighborhood: Grand Crossing
d. Age 87
Near
Lem’s Bar-B-Q
311 S. 75th Street
Source
20249802
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/6/24/18398334/chicago-bbq-king-james-b-lemons-a-founder-of-lem-s-dies-at-87
https://youtu.be/rN7T3YUljwA?si=4u-dNtuGhn6qrSu4
https://chicago.eater.com/2015/12/15/10232066/james-lemons-lems-bbq-dead
https://www.southernfoodways.org/interview/lems-bar-b-q/
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151215/chatham/james-lemons-bbq-master-behind-lems-bar-b-q-chatham-dies/
http://lemsque.com/
Ronald C. “Topper” Topczewski was a former President of the Polish American Police Association (PAPA). He joined the Chicago police force in 1962 and enjoyed a 32 year career. He served in the US Army from 1963 to 1965. In retirement he worked for Taft High School.
Veteran: Army
Ward: 38
Alderman: Nicholas Sposato
Neighborhood: Jefferson Park
b. August 18, 1939
d. December 23, 2023. Age 84
Source
20248860
https://www.skajafuneralhomes.com/obituary/ronald-topper-topczewski
https://youtu.be/YRaXkSoOJRk?si=hCSeTldhZzYNTOME
Fernando Miguel DeLeon grew up in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. He was a member of the musical group “Los Perdidos” which had one of it’s songs featured in the Chicago film “Go For It.”
Alumni:
Kelvin Park High School
Funston Elementary
Ward: 36
Alderman: Gilbert Villegas
Neighborhood: Belmont Craigin
b. April 12, 1986 in Puerto Rico
d.May 30, 2020 age 34 in Chicago
near
His home
Source
20249457
Bill Kress grew up in South Chicago and worked on the deep tunnel project and for the City of Chicago Department of Environmental Control, and at the Illinois Department of Transportation. He was also a little league baseball coach.
Alum
Mendel High School
St Pat’s Grammar School
Veteran: Air Force, served in Vietnam
Ward: 10
Alderman: Peter Chico
Neighborhood: East Side
b. September 21, 1948
d. December 20, 2023. Age 75.
near
Sports fields where he coached
He is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery
Source
20249167
https://elmwoodchapel.com/visit-info/obituary.php?id=5631
John Swearengen was the CEO and Chairman of the Standard Oil Company (of Indiana) from 1960-1983. He turned the struggling company into a profitable venture in oil exploration. He was frequently quoted as a leading member of the petroleum industry. He started out in the company research center in Whiting, Indiana, which produced aviation fuel during WWII. The Engineering Center at his alma mater, University of South Carolina, is named for him. In retirement, he helped turn around financial institutions during the banking crisis of the 1980s.
He also had the Standard Oil building (currently AON Center) built in Chicago. The company was later acquired, and the name of the company (and the building) changed to BP-Amoco.
Alumni:
Carnegie Mellon University
University of South Carolina. Phi Beta Kappa
Neighborhood: Michigan Avenue
b. September 7, 1918
d. September 14, 2007. Age 89
near
Standard Oil Building (Aon Center)
200 E. Randolph
Source
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/09/17/john-e-swearingen-1918-2007/
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/business/18swearingen.html
https://www.nae.edu/19579/19581/51314/300179/305149/JOHN-E-SWEARINGEN-19182007
https://www.hbs.edu/leadership/20th-century-leaders/details?profile=john_e_swearingen
https://app.adoraexperiences.com/university-of-south-carolina/general-campus-tour---driving/swearingen-engineering-center/
Ward: 27
Alderman: Walter Burnett, Jr.
Neighborhood:Smith Park/West Loop
Source
20249193
Verlean Perkins was a dedicated member of her community, education, and children. She wasa life long Chicagoan. For 30 years Verlean worked for the Board of Education and was a 15 year contributor to the summer food programs, and a dependable poll worker. She was the chairperson and 20 year volunteer of the Chicago Academic Games League.
She was a “mom” to the neighborhood children and was known as the “Apple Woman” to all who lived near her.
Alumni:
Chicago Public Schools
Member of the Apostolic Church of God
Ward: 20
Alderman: Jeannette Taylor
Neighborhood: Hyde Park
b. April 9, 1934 in Chicago
near
her home
Source
20249171
Dr. Donda West was a professor at Chicago State University for 24 years and the former Chair of the English Department. She was the founder of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing. Donda West was awarded a Fullbright Scholarship. The Dr. Donda West Foundation supports underserved youth and encourages teenagers and young adults to stay in school.
She is author of Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Star (2009). Donda is the mother of Kanye West.
Alum
Virginia Union University
Clark Atlanta University
Auburn University
Ward: 07
Alderman: Gregory Mitchell
Neighborhood: South Shore
b. July 12, 1949
d. November 10, 2007. Age 58.
Near
Her Home
Source
20249679
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donda_West
WBEZ: Keynote Address by Donda West. https://www.wbez.org/2007/10/19/keynote-address-dr-donda-west-on-raising-kanye
Phil Doran, Sr. was a life-long Chicagoan from the Beverly neighborhood. He and his wife met in grade school. He was a lawyer and was active in his community and parish as a committed volunteer and former Chairman of the Board of the Franciscan Outreach.
Alumni:
Christ the King Elementary School and Parish
St. Ignatius High School
John Carroll University
Northwestern University - Law
Born in Chicago
Ward: 19
Alderman: O’Shea
Neighborhood: Beverly
b. November 6, 1940. Chicago
d. September 18, 2020. Age 79.
Near
Christ the King Church
Henry Coleman and his brother George started the Coleman Barbecue restaurant to bring real southern cooking to Chicago. In the beginning, Henry worked full-time at Brach’s Candy Company in addition to the restaurant. They grew the single location into 4 restaurants in Austin and Maywood, only two still remain. Henry’s children have kept the restaurant going.
Ward: 29
Alderman: Taliaferro
Neighborhood: Austin
b. October 30, 1943. Dermott, Arkansas
d. August 15, 2012. Age 68
Near
Coleman’s BBQ #2
5820 W. Chicago Avenue
Costas (Gus) and Anastasia June Travlos were long time residents of the Edgewater neighborhood, they were also the co-founders of the Edgewater Development Company and worked to improve the lives of their neighbors and spearheaded the revitalization of Bryn Mawr as a Historic District. Gus was born in Greece, they moved to Edgewater in 1964.
Approved: June 2018
Ward: 48
Alderman: Osterman
Neighborhood: Edgewater
June
d. November 1, 2016. Age 91
Gus
d. 2005. Age 70
Near
Edgewater Development Corporation
1055 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue
Approved: May 2018
Ward: 25
Alderman: Solis
Neighborhood: Little Italy
b. September 29, 1980
d. September 3, 2017. Age 36
Near
Pompei Bakery
1531 W. Taylor Street
Ramona Marquitta Rouse owned and operated the Salon Pastiche in the Rogers Park neighborhood for 23 years. She supported local artists through Sungold Pastiche, the Roman Susan Art Foundation has a tribute art installation at the salon. Ramona was born in Chicago in the Old Town neighborhood, and grew up in in the early scattered site public housing integrated in Lincoln Square. She easily befriended her customers and neighbors and was well regarded in the community.
Alumni
Immaculate Conception Grammar School
Lincoln Park High School
National Lewis University
Pivot Point Academy
Dignity Memorial: Tribute video
Ward: 49
Alderman: Haddon
Neighborhood: Rogers Park
b. September 15. Chicago
d. January 4, 2020. Chicago
Near
Salon Pastiche 1226 W. Loyola Avenue
Joseph Muntaner was a construction contractor and super volunteer to the 1st Ward and his church, St. Bonaventure. He was very dedicated and loyal and took his work very seriously, whether it was shoveling snow or removing graffiti.
Alumni:
Mather High School
Born in Chicago
Ward: 1
Alderman: Moreno
Neighborhood: Logan Square
b. August 19, 1958. Chicago
d. May 14, 2017. Chicago
Eugene Lang founded Lang Exteriors in 1953; he built and installed windows and doors. His son Darb Lang succeeded him in the business. While serving in WWII Eugene invented the T-Wrench for setting the depth and speed of a torpedo.
Veteran: WWII
Ward: 16
Alderman: Foulkes
Neighborhood: Marquette Park
d: age 78.
Source
Father Martin O’Donovan grew up in the St. Cristiana parish and he served as Pastor there for 15 years. He was ordained at Mundelein in 1978 and currently serves the Saints, Faith, Hope, & Charity Catholic Church in Winnetka. Previously he led the Our Lady of Good Counsel in Bridgeport. Father Marty, as he is known, has touched the lives of several parishes in the Chicago area. He has guided his parishioners through times of scandal in the Church
Alumni
Quigley Prep
Niles Seminary
Approved:
Ward:
Alderman:
Neighborhood: Mt. Greenwood
Near
St Christiana’s Church
11005 S. Homan Avenue
Michelle L. Van Allen was the Principal of the Marcus Garvey Elementary School; she had been a student and then a teacher at the school. She was a proponent of social-emotional learning.
Ward: 34
Alderman: Austin
Source
Video Credit: YouTube, channel: Committee for Children, “What Keeps Michelle Motivated?”
The Honorable Milton Irving Shadur was a U.S. Federal Court judge for the Northern District of Illinois for thirty-seven years. When he retired he had been one of the longest serving Federal judges. He wrote more than 11,000 opinions while on the bench; he was appointed in 1980 by President Carter. Judge Shadur was the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Chicago Bar Association. Judge Shadur served on the Village Board for Glencoe and was a life trustee of the Ravinia Festival.
Photo: US Government, Public Domain
Alumni:
University of Chicago
University of Chicago Law School
Veteran: Navy, Lieutenant. WWII
Founding member of Congregation Am Shalom
Ward: 42
Alderman: Reilly
Neighborhood: Loop/Federal Plaza
b. June 25, 1924, St Paul, Minnesota
d. January 15, 2018. Age 93. Glenview, Illinois
YouTube playlist: Milton Shadur. Honorary Chicago