Lucille E. Cerwin
 

Lucille E. Cerwin was born August 12, 1942 to Joseph and Carmela Pagani. She died Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at the University of Chicago Hospital. Lucy raised her family in Arlington Heights, Illinois and later moved to Wheeling, Illinois.

Lucy was a graduate of Loyola University and received a MS degree from National Louis University. As a lifelong educator and dedicated teacher for over forty years, Lucy guided and taught thousands of elementary and middle school students with compassion and grace. She served in many teaching and administrative positions throughout the northwest suburbs of Chicago, including positions at Cooper Middle School in Buffalo Grove, River Trails Middle School in Mt Prospect, and Euclid Elementary School in Mt Prospect. In addition to her daytime teaching, Lucy also taught adult education classes in ESL (English as a Second Language). Most recently she served as Assistant Principal of Euclid Elementary School. Lucy retired in 2004.

As the daughter of an immigrant, Lucy was a strong and vocal advocate for educational equality for all children, regardless of their race, socioeconomic status or country of origin. For many years she served as an ESL educator and program director where she mentored and taught young children to prepare them for a successful life in their new homeland. Lucy was also instrumental in the fight for laws in Illinois that mandated an equal education for special needs students through to age twenty-one.

The courage that Lucy showed throughout her life as an educator is further exemplified by her end-of-life battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, where she agreed to participate in several experimental programs that she hoped would help others.

Lucy is preceded in death by her parents, the late Joseph and Carmela Pagani.

Lucy was a loving and devoted mother to John (Lori) Cerwin, Christina Cerwin and Peter (Stacy) Cerwin. She was cherished Nonna Lucy to Jake and Luke Cerwin. She was the dear sister of Joseph (Diane) Pagani and Rose (Douglas) Gordon.

Visitation from 3PM to 9PM Thursday, December 10, 2009 at Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, Il. and from 10:00 AM until time of Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM, Friday, December 11, 2009 at St. Edna’s Parish, 2525 North Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lambs Farm at http://www.lambsfarm.org/youcanhelp/gift.html  in the name of Lucille Cerwin. Lambs Farm is a non-profit organization serving adults with developmental disabilities.