Helen Ann Lopez

Helen Ann Lopez, nee Farrell, (1930-2004), was inducted on May 4, 2004 to the Chicago Senior Citizens Hall of Fame at the Chicago Cultural Center. For over 50 years she lived on Beach Avenue and contributed to the Humboldt Park Community and to Chicago in general, especially to James Russell Lowell School and other Chicago Public Schools, the Humboldt Park Community, the Block Club Federation, the Midwest Council of Illinois Parent Teacher Association; the ELCA Lutheran Church, Chicago Public Libraries, Friends of Humboldt Park Library, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago Logan Square-Humboldt Park YMCA, Edison Park Home for Children, CAPS of the 14th Police District, Bottomless Closet, WELCA Prison Ministry, CROP Walk For Hunger, Synod Mission Committee Member, Inter-Chicago ELCA Convention Delegate, and WELCA Convention Delegate, Growing Pride Garden Walk, Jets Equinox Festival, Catholic Church Women ACCW yearly events, Youth Service Project's Back to School Parade, Humboldt Park Advisory Council Member, Junior Earth Team Board Member, Planning Committee for the Equinox Celebration. Helen has served the Lowell PTA as President two terms, Treasurer two terms, Publicity Chairperson, Corresponding Secretary, Program Chairperson, Membership Chairperson, Hospitality Chairperson, Legislative Chairperson, Budget and Finance Chairperson, Convention Delegate, and in various other capacities. She has also served the Midwest Council PTA as President, Historian, Second Vice President, Budget and Finance Chairperson, Publicity Chairperson, Board Member and through membership on many committees. Helen's service to the Illinois District 23 PTA has included terms as District Director, Budget and Finance Chairperson, Assistant Scholarship Chairperson, Extension Assistant for District 23, and Board Member. She has served District 5 as Legislative Chairperson, Bylaws Chairperson, Community Advisor to the District Newspaper (Five Star News), and Member of the Attendance Committee. The Chicago Region PTA has benefited from Helen's service in the capacity of Chicago Region Council President, District Director, and Board Member and through her work in the Chicago Region PTA Offices. She has served the Illinois Congress of Parents and Teachers as a State Board Member, Chairperson of Headquarters for the State Convention, Member of the State Scholarship Committee, and State and National Convention Delegate. Her public school service also includes membership in Orr High School Parent Council, Chairperson of the District 25 Parent Council, member of the Chicago Board of Education Legislation Network Committee, Dr. Wellington's School Desegregation Committee, the Chicago Board of Education's School Vandalism Committee, the Committee to Investigate the Feasibility of Plans for Year Round Schools, the Planning Committee for the New Orr High School, Delegate to two Year Round School Conferences, CPS Area C Parent Committee, and President of the CPS Area C Community Council. She was instrumental in the legislative battles for full state funding of education and against vouchers or aid to non-public schools, and was a frequent face leading buses to Springfield, the state Chicago museums, and a variety of community and cultural organizations. Forced to drop out of school when her own mother died, Helen went to work as a pre-teen, later married Frank H. Lopez (1923-1978), chef and chef educator at Washburne Trade School. They had three children Ann Lynn Schubert of Chicago, Cindy Melero of Sherwood, Arkansas, and Frank F. Lopez of Romeoville. After her husband passed away, she completed the GED, took a job as Lowell's School-Community Representative, and continued her life of service. When the communities she served learned of her severe illness late in 2003, they organized a series of tributes to honor her. The first, on a cold January 30, 2004, at the Humboldt Park Field House brought out a warm crowd of over 350 with tributes from many family and friends who loved her. Throughout Spring and Summer, she was named Woman of the Year of the Humboldt Park Community. Celebrating Earth Day 2004, the Friends of the Parks and the Block Club Federation planted a Linden tree in honor of Mrs. Lopez in Humboldt Park. A PTA luncheon was given to recognize contributions Helen made that resulted in her Outstanding Service Award from that organization, Lowell school held a musical tribute which culminated in a ceremony that renamed the part of Hirsch Avenue in front of the school ''Helen Ann Lopez Avenue,'' and Lowell School designated a portion of their urban garden project to Helen, one of the many projects she had helped to found. Helen was recognized by the Chicago Logan Square YMCA and Humboldt Park Neighborhood as an Unsung Hero in 2001, has been awarded Life Memberships in the Illinois PTA and the National PTA, received the Outstanding Service Award for Lowell School, has been honored through the recording of her name in the Illinois PTA Book of Recognition. Helen was recognized at 2003 Annual Awards and Scholarship Luncheon of the Illinois PTA District 23 for her legacy to children, parents, and teachers, received the Lowell School Appreciation Award November 23, 1987, and Lowell School Community Partner Award. Jan. 08, 2004. She was the 2003 recipient of the Hertha Hill Volunteer Award of the Block Club Federation, the 2004 recipient of the Humboldt Park Advisory Council's Recognition Award. Mrs. Lopez passed away on October 5, 2004, at the home of her son, Frank and his wife Kathleen, where she had been lovingly cared for during the past two years. She was the daughter of John L. Farrell and Caroline (Harms) Farrell, who preceded her in death as did her husband, Frank H. Lopez; and she is survived by her three children, Ann Lynn, Cindy, and Frank (Drs. William and Ann Schubert, Mr. and Mrs. Alan Melero, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank (Kathleen) Lopez); nine grandchildren (Heidi and Henry Schubert of Chicago, Joe, Jennifer, Michael, and Sarah Melero of Sherwood, Arkansas, Elaine and Kenny Clinard of Houston, and Karen Schubert of Belton, TX); and two-great grandchildren, Kevin and Alex Clinard; she is survived by sisters, Doris Devine of Chicago, Lillian Allen of Lombard, Betty Nichols of Kankakee, and a brother John (and Dorothy) Farrell of Palos Heights, and she was preceded in death by brothers Arthur (and Erda Mae) Farrell, Willard (and Effie) Farrell, and sisters Muriel (and Paul) Vaughan, and Grace (and Gordon) Schmidt; beloved aunt to Diane Courtright, Daniel Farrell, John Farrell, Carol Murai, Faith Varenyi, Laura De Mik, Susan Hickey, Margaret Vaughan, David Vaughan, Beth Gundloch, Charlotte Joyner, Amy Serrio, Doris, John Schmidt, Kenny Schmidt, Joseph Schmidt, Patricia Jensen, Ruth Peltier, Jack Allen, Agnes Meyers, Ray Farrell, Tom Birks, Don Birks, Larry Birks, Gary Birks, Douglas Farrell, Lee Farrell; and many great-nieces and nephews. Visitation will take place at the Edward Andersen Funeral Home, 3234 North Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 773-235-0770, on Saturday, October 9, from 5 to 9 p.m. and on Sunday, October 10, from 3 to 9 p.m. She will lie in state from 9:30 a.m. and a service will be held at the Zion Cristo Rey Lutheran Church, 2255 North Lawndale Ave., Chicago at 10 a.m. on Monday, October 11. A private interment will follow at Chapel Hill Gardens South in Oak Lawn, IL. For those who wish to make a memorial contribution, James Russell Lowell School (3320 W. Hirsch Street, Chicago 60651), Chicago Region PTA (330 N. Wabash, Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60611), Block Club Federation (1620 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL), Joliet Hospice (250 Water Stone Circle, Joliet 60431) are recommended, as well as any other organizations and causes Helen supported in the gift of her life.