[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 40 (Friday, April 12, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF MILA V. NOLAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 11, 2002

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in remembrance and celebration of 
the life of Mrs. Mila V. Nolan. Although friends, family, and the City 
of Chicago grieve in the sadness of her departure, we can celebrate 
because we know that hers was a life lived in full.
  Mrs. Nolan began her legacy of public service shortly after she 
earned her bachelor and master's degrees from Depaul University, 
preparing to be a music teacher. She volunteered as a ``gray lady'' for 
the American Red Cross during WW II. Much of her activism was shared 
with her husband Brian J. Nolan, with whom she spent 35 happy years, 
before his death.
  Education was always a priority for Mila, she worked tirelessly to 
nurture her students, to find ways to encourage success, in and outside 
the classroom. Mrs. Nolan began her teaching career at CVS (Chicago 
Vocational) High School in the late 1940s and moved to the city's 
Northwest Side in 1959, where she started teaching at Taft High School. 
Mrs. Nolan taught music at Taft from 1959 until she retired in 1985. At 
Taft, she directed the award-winning Girls Chorus.
  Upon retiring, Mrs. Nolan was asked to write a column for the 
Edgebrook-Sauganash Times Review newspaper, to bridge the various parts 
of the Northwest Side's Edgebrook area. She continued to write 
``Bridging Edgebrook'' until the week of her death on March 20, 2002. 
She became actively involved in many community groups, and dedicated 
the rest of her life to community service.
  Mrs. Nolan served more than three years on the Wildwood School Local 
School Council as a community representative. She was a past president 
of the Edgebrook Woman's Club, also a member of the Portage Park 
Woman's Club, and was completing her year as president of District 7 of 
the Illinois Division of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs. She 
was one of the first women members of the Logan Square Lions Club and a 
member of the Jefferson Park Lions Club. She was a long-time volunteer 
for the American Cancer Society and went on to head the Edgebrook-
Sauganash Unit, and later on the board of the Northwest Unit for 
several years. She also was active at St. Mary of the Woods Catholic 
Church, she participated in almost everything, including service as a 
fill-in musician for morning services and funerals.
  Additionally, Mila also participated on the boards of the Northwest 
Action Council, the 41st Ward Democratic Women's Organization and the 
North Edgebrook Civic Association. She also served as an election judge 
for her precinct through her retirement years, missing only the final 
election, March 19, when she was too ill to work.
  Mrs. Nolan's life was full of devotion, full of compassion, and full 
of service to her community. As a public servant, I look to those I 
serve for inspiration. The life of Mrs. Nolan serves not only as an 
inspiration for me, but as a model of how best to use the blessings of 
life as a resource for others. Mrs. Mila Nolan leaves behind a sister, 
a son, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. To them and her community, 
she is irreplaceable--they grieve now and will no doubt miss her 
presence in their lives. Nonetheless, they will always find comfort in 
knowing that Mila now lives through her works and deeds. The family can 
find comfort in the fact that she left a legacy of contributing her 
time, her energy, and her talent to the progress of her community. On 
behalf of the United States Congress, I thank Mrs. Mila V. Noland, for 
a lifetime of service and dedication.

                          ____________________