Mary Ann Rezek
(née Heffernan) 1940–2009
Written by her daughter Natasha Galavotti
My Mom is my daily inspiration. Mary Ann Rezek was/is my best friend and her teachings remain with me daily. May my life be lived with the same goodness and contribution to the those whose lives I touch. Born on Chicago’s west side to Irish-American parents, my Mom came from a loving family with an intense focus on education. She instilled in me and my four older brothers the vital importance of knowledge for selfrealization and for giving back to society. She graduated from Marquette University with a BA in History and an MA in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Along with raising our family, she supplemented my father’s vocation as a Catholic high school teacher and she became a small entrepreneur in real estate.
When it was time for me to consider high school, my very clear memory is my Mom driving me to the entrance exam and saying “do your best” as this is where you should be at 1076 West Roosevelt Road. She shared how my Grandfather and four uncles attended the school and that this would be a special place for me to grow. How right she was as she closely followed my academic and athletic progress as any child might want.
My Mom traveled the world and continued raising me even as an adult as I continued my schooling and began my career and family. She always kept me grounded on striving to be my best and always reminded me that we are all equal and never forget the other person who has less.
In 2006, my Mom learned she had an aggressive breast cancer tumor and for the next three years, was cured, went into remission, and then was called to that better place. On the roller coaster ride of cancer, she urged us to not be sad for her as she lived her life and raised us into adulthood. Her greater concern was not her own fate, but rather for the young people around her who deserved more time.
Thank you to my Mom for encouraging me back in the day to take the Ignatius entrance exam and fully supporting my high school education and growth which evolved into a lifetime of learning and service to others. I am forever grateful and intent on humbly giving back all I have so luckily received.