Coach Lewis Thorpe Street

Lewis Thorpe was the basketball coach at North Lawndale College Prep, who led the team to the 2008 state Championship. He was demanding and firm, and highly respected as a coach.

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Honorary Coach Lewis Thorpe Street

 

West 16th Street between south Christiana
south Spaulding
&
south Thompson between Burkhardt and Farrar

Approved: 2020

 

Ward: 26
Alderman: Scott
Neighborhood: Lawndale

d. Age 56

Near
North Lawndale College Prep, Christiana Campus
and Collins campus in Douglas Park

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SPC Henry Mayfield, Jr. Way

Army Specialist Henry “Mitch” Mayfield, Jr., from south suburban Hazel Crest, was killed in the line of duty during an al-Shabab militant group attack on Manda Bay Airfield, a U.S. base in Kenya, which killed two others and damaged six aircraft. He served as part of field operations for Operation Octave Shield, which carried out intelligence gathering and air strikes on Somalia.

Mayfield was a dynamic soldier who inspired those he served with to excel both on and off duty. The 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group will miss his leadership and camaraderie.

- Col. William Garber

Alumni:
Hillcrest High School
Northern Illinois University

Veteran: Army SPC, died serving in Kenya in 2020. Operation Octave Shield

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Honorary SPC Henry Mayfield, Jr. Way

5500 block of S. Laflin

 

Approved: June 2020

Ward: 16
Alderman: Coleman
Neighborhood: Englewood

b. October 14, 1996
d. January 5, 2020
Age 23.

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John Prine Way

John Prine was a Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter. His style was humorous social commentary country folk music. He had worked as a letter carrier and in the 1970s performed weekly in local Chicago club, the Fifth Peg, when Roger Ebert wrote a glowing review in the Chicago Sun-Times which launched John’s folk music career. Since then many famous singers such as: Johnny Cash, Bette Middler, and Bonnie Raitt, and George Strait have recorded his songs. Since 1981 his son, Jody Whelan, has run John’s independent record and publishing company, Oh Boy Records. John Prine was posthumously named an honorary poet laureate of the State of Illinois in 2020. He died in Nashville at age 73 from complications of the COVID-19 virus.

Veteran: U.S. Army in Germany

YouTube

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Honorary John Prine Way

West Armitage Avenue between North Fremont Street and North Dayton Street (853-858)

 

Approved: May 2020

Ward: 43
Alderman: Smith
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park

b. October 10, 1946. Maywood, IL
d. April 7, 2020. Nashville, TN
Age 73

* Amended location 2021

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Suellen Long Way

Suellen Long was a long time resident and advocate for the Uptown neighborhood and founder of her own public relations firm. She became the president of the Bridgeview Bank which had long been the center of development and social service agencies for the Uptown neighborhood, in particular, many groups of asian immigrants settled in the area. Her first involvement with the historic bank building was as part of the team which rehabilitated it, in the 1960s, after a long period of decline, The building was sold again in 2019 and will become residences. Suellen was also very involved with local charities and the Peterson-McCormick Boys & Girls Club. In 2004 she was featured in the business section of the Chicago Tribune.

Alumni:

• Plymouth High School (Indiana)

• St, Mary’s of the Woods

• Ray-Vogue College of Design in Chicago

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Honorary Suellen Long Way

West Lawrence between North Broadway and North Malden

 

Approved: May 2020

Ward: 46 and 48
Alderman: Cappleman and Osterman
Neighborhood: Uptown

b. January 17, 1942. Plymouth, Indiana
d. March 24, 2020. Age 78

Near the former Bridgeview Bank building
4735 N. Lawrence Ave.

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Disney Family Avenue

Walt Disney, and his brother Roy, were born in Chicago in a house built by their parents. Their father, Elias, was a carpenter. He built the family house, he also worked on the 1893 World Fair in Chicago and he told his children stories about the Fair.

Disney is best known for his animated films and theme parks. As an individual Walt won 22 Oscars and was nominated for an Academy award 59 times. He also won 2 Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy.

Born in Chicago: Walt, 1901; Roy, 1893

Alumni
McKinley High School. Chicago
predecessor to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

WWI Red Cross Ambulance Driver

www.thewaltdisneybirthplace.org

Walt Disney grew up in a house in Chicago's Hermosa neighborhood at 2156 N. Tripp Ave., which was built in 1893. The new homeowners have made several renovat...

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Honorary Disney Family Avenue

North Tripp Street between West Armitage Avenue and West Fullerton Avenue

 

Approved: May 2016

Ward: 35
Alderman: Ramirez-Rosa
Neighborhood: Hermosa

Walt Disney’s Birthplace
2156 N. Tripp Avenue

Walter Elias Disney
b. December 5, 1901. Chicago
d. December 15, 1966. Age 65. Los Angeles, California

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Photo credits: Kari Carbone karicarbone.com

Walt Disney Birthplace and Facebook page and Wikipedia and IMDB
A Cinderella story for Walt Disney's childhood home - Chicago Tribune

Michael W. Gonzalez Way

Michael Gonzalez was the founder and CEO of Maestros Ventures, an Engineering Services firm in Chicago. He served as President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers - Chicago Chapter; President of the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA); Member of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board; Vice Chairman of the Illinois Legislative Caucus Foundation; and Trustee on the Board of PBS Station WTTW, Channel 11.

Born in Chicago

Alumni
Holy Family Grammar School, Chicago
St. Ignatius High School
University of Illinois at Chicago, Engineering School

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Honorary Michael W. Gonzalez Way

South May Street from West Cullerton Street to West 21st Street

 

Approved: 2020

Ward: 25
Alderman: Byron Sigcho-Lopez
Neighborhood: Pilsen

d. July 8, 2019. Age 63.

Clarence L . Shaffer, Sr. Drive

Clarence Shaffer was a Navy WWII veteran and former professional baseball player in the Southern Negro League. He was Deacon of The Way of The Cross Holiness Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago for 37 years, where his wife was the Pastor, W.E. Shaffer.

Veteran: Navy, WWII

Born: Mississippi

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Honorary Clarence L. Shaffer, Sr. Drive

 

South Halsted between 81st to 83rd*

Approved: January 2020

Ward: 21
Alderman: Howard Brookins, Jr.
Neighborhood: South Side, Auburn Gresham

b: Mississippi July 22, 1925
d: Chicago April 16, 2012. Age 87.

Near
The Way of The Cross Holiness M.B. Church
8229 S. Halsted

* the location was amended to 81st to 83rd Street in 2021

Ivan de Jesus Reyes Way

Ivan de Jesus Reyes was born in Chicago and raised in the Pilsen neighborhood who worked as a Senior Pharmacy Technician. He graduated with a degree in Biology which he put to use as a researcher at the University of Illinois, studying plant invasive species which had applications in agriculture and renewable energy. In his community he was known as an active volunteer, a great neighbor, and huge baseball fan. He was a member of the congregation at St. Pius V Catholic Church. His diagnosis with cancer at age 31 did not dampen his outlook on life nor his role as a mentor and volunteer at the local YMCA and Harrison Park.

Alumni:
Cooper Elementary School
Whitney Young High School
Northeastern Illinois University

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Honorary Ivan de Jesus Reyes Way

 

West 21st Place between South Paulina Street and West 21st Street

Approved: 2020

Ward: 25
Alderman: Byron Sigcho-Lopez
Neighborhood: Pilsen

b. October 3, 1983. Chicago
d. July 12, 2016. Chicago

Justice John Paul Stevens Way

John Paul Stevens was a United States Supreme Court Justice for 35 years. At his retirement in 2010, he was the third longest serving judge in the history of the Supreme Court. He lived to be 99 years old.

Born in Chicago. Raised in Hyde Park

Alumni:
Northwestern Law School
University of Chicago
University of Chicago Lab School

Retired: 2010

Presidential Medal of Freedom 2012

Veteran: Navy, Lieutenant, WWII, Bronze Star

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Justice John Paul Stevens Way

 

East Chicago Avenue between Lake Shore Drive and Fairbanks Court

Approved: 2019

Ward: 2
Alderman: Hopkins
Neighborhood: Streeterville

Born April 20, 1920 in Chicago
d. July 16, 2019, Age 99

Near the Northwestern University Law School, Downtown Campus

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Photo: Steve Petteway, photographer for the US Supreme Court [Public domain]

Plumbers Campus

Honorary Plumbers Campus was designated to commemorate the new state-of-the-art plumbers training center by UA Local 130 to meet the training needs of the future. Training includes: rainwater harvesting, grey water harvesting, and solar water heating.

See video of new Plumbers Campus

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Honorary Plumbers Campus

 

1400 block of West Washington Street

Approved: 2019

Ward: 27
Alderman: Burnett
Neighborhood: West Loop

Near Plumbers new training facility

Martha Ramos Way

Martha Ramos was Chief of Staff for the Alderman of the 35th Ward.

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Martha Ramos Way

 

North Humboldt Blvd, from Wabansia Ave to Bloomingdale Ave

Approved: 2019

Ward: 35
Alderman: Ramirez-Rosa
Neighborhood: Logan Square

b. December 10, 1965
d. February 20, 2019. Age 54 

Reverend J. M. Stone Drive

Reverend James Marcellus Stone was the founder of the Stone Temple Missionary Baptist Church which was a center of the civil rights movement in Chicago in the 1960s. Under Rev. Stone’s leadership, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached and held rallies at his church. Rev. Stone was born in Georgia, and he knew Martin Luther King, Sr. (the father of Martin Luther King, Jr.} who was a preacher in Atlanta. The church became the “action center” of King’s Chicago Freedom Movement in 1966. When King moved his family to Chicago to support the civil rights movement in the north, Rev. Stone found an apartment for King’s family near the Church. Rev. Stone joined King’s march in Selma.

Reverend Stone’s grandson, Derrick Fitzpatrick, is now the senior pastor of Stone Temple MBC.

The Stone Temple Baptist Church building was designated a Chicago Landmark in 2016.

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Honorary Rev. JM Stone Dr

 

Approved:

Ward:24
Alderman:
Neighborhood: North Lawndale

Born in Georgia

Near
Stone Temple Baptist Church
3620 W. Douglas Boulevard

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Debra Gaurige Way

Debra Gaurige worked at the Chicago Park District, Smith Park pool for decades.

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Honorary Debra Gaurige Way

Grand Avenue between Campbell and Washtenaw

 

Approved: April 2019

Ward: 26
Alderman: Roberto Maldonado
Neighborhood: West Town

d. May 29, 2018

Near: Smith Park

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Kenneth "Butch" Campbell Way

Kenneth “Butch” Campbell

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Honorary Kenneth “Butch” Campbell Way

North Central Avenue between Division Street and Hirsch Street

 

Approved: April 2019

Ward: 29
Alderman: Chris Taliaferro
Neighborhood: Austin

d. April 2018

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Apostle Cornelius Parker, Sr. Way

Apostle Cornelius Parker, Sr. served at the Zion Faith Center Bible Church on Chicago’s Southwest side

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Honorary Apostle Cornelius Parker, Sr. Way

Throop Street at 100th Street

 

Approved: April 2019

Ward: 34
Alderman: Carrie Austin
Neighborhood: Washington Heights

Near: Zion Faith Center Bible Church
9993 S. Throop Street

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Fr. Larry Duris Way

Father Larry Duris dedicated himself to the African-American community and to Catholic life and education. He was ordained by John Cardinal Cody, Archbishop of Chicago. Since 2009, Fr. Duris was pastor at St. Ailbe’s Catholic Church on Chicago’s far south side, and unofficially and spontaneously with parishioners and neighbors at the local grocery store. Before St. Ailbe’s he served in 5 other Chicago area parishes. Fr. Duris had a fascination with African-American history, arts, and music; he was known to be a very good pianist.

In January of 2016 he was presented the Pope John XXIII Award for Outstanding Ministry by the Association of Chicago Priests.

Alumni:
St. Anthony School in Cicero
St. Peter Catholic School in Skokie
Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago
University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein

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Honorary Fr. Larry Duris Way

9015 S. Harper Avenue. South Harper Avenue from 90th to 91st Street

 

Approved: April 2019

Ward: 8
Alderman: Michelle Harris
Neighborhood: Calumet Heights

Born in Chicago
d. 2018 age 74

Near St. Ailbe’s Catholic Church
9015 S. Harper Avenue

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Tillie Rybak Way

Tillie Rybak was a long time resident of Chicago. She lived in the Humboldt Park neighborhood for 71 years.

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Honorary Tillie Rybak Way

2600 to 2700 W. Chicago Avenue

 

Approved: 2018

Ward: 26
Alderman: Maldonado
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park

b. August 30, 1922
d. July 31, 2017. Age 94. Chicago

Near
2605 W. Chicago Avenue

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SOURCE
Tillie (Gerage) Rybak

Doris Ivy Way

Doris Ivy received a kidney transplant in 1991 and survived 27 years. She was the sister of Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White. This life saving transplant inspired him to raise awareness and to prioritize organ transplants in his position as Secretary of State.

The sign is located near the residence where she lived, Union Missionary Baptist Church where she was a member of the choir, and not far from where as children Doris and Jesse lived when their family moved to Chicago from Alton, Illinois.

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Honorary Doris Ivy Way

100 W. Oak Street

Approved: October 2018

Ward 2
Neighborhood: Gold Coast

 

1999 IL Secretary of State, Jesse White and his sister Doris Ivy, “Gift of Life” public service announcement (video YouTube: ODILSOS).
https://youtu.be/6BlI4UKNCfg?si=fA7reGRXDIpVllrC

Chicago Sun-Times article July 3, 2018

Gorale Podhalanscy Way

The Gorale are an ethnic group from the Carpathian mountain highlands of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Ukraine.

The Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America is located near Archer Avenue and Pulaski Avenue in Chicago and was founded in 1929.

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Honorary Gorale Podhalanscy Way

South Archer between Hamlin and Lawndale

 

Approved: 2018

Ward: 14
Alderman: Burke and Reboyras (30)
Neighborhood: Archer Heights

Polish Highlander Alliance of North America
4808 S. Archer Avenue

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