Dear Neighbor,
It is with great sadness I write to inform you that Rogers Park housing activist Mary Jane Haggerty passed away last Sunday, December 28th, after a year-long battle with cancer.
Mary Jane dedicated her life to battling slumlords and fighting for affordable housing and tenants’ rights. She worked closely with my office eight years ago to uncover a major fraud scheme involving phony condominium conversions.
With her invaluable assistance, we were able to clean up over a dozen dilapidated, drug-infested buildings in our neighborhood and bring a fraudulent developer to justice. She touched the lives of thousands through her never-ending commitment to the 49th Ward community.
For a recent News-Star newspaper profile of Mary Jane, click HERE.
The wake for Mary Jane will be held Friday, January 2nd, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., at John E. Maloney Funeral Home, 1359 W. Devon Ave. Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 3rd, 9:30 a.m., at Old St. Patrick’s Church, 700 W. Adams St. Free parking for those attending the funeral is available on the southeast corner of Adams and Des Plaines.
In lieu of flowers, Mary Jane’s family asks that donations be made to a special emergency housing fund established in Mary Jane’s honor at the Rogers Park Community Council. Please make your check payable to the Rogers Park Community Council, 1530 W. Morse, Chicago, IL 60626, and indicate on your check that the donation is for the “Haggerty Memorial Emergency Housing Fund.”
Mary Jane will be sorely missed, but her legacy will live on in the thousands of lives she touched.
Sincerely,
Joe Moore