William J. Cooley 1963-2020

Cooley, William J. Age 76

Loving husband of 21 years to Jo Ann (nee Fujii). Devoted father of Liam and Mac Cooley. Adored son of the late James and Stella Cooley. Dear brother of Patricia (Dr. Michael) Inda, Robert, Dennis (Shirley), Dianne (late Dr. John) Zuzga, Timothy, Joseph (Johanna), John (Phyllis), and the late Fr. Stephen Cooley O.Carm. Loving uncle of many nieces and nephews.

Bill was the 4th child of 9 born to his very Catholic parents. He entered the Carmelite Seminary at age 13. He was a caddy at South Shore Country Club and at age 17 was fortunate to be offered a scholarship to Northwestern University with the Evans Scholars program. He, but mostly his father, agreed that he should continue his Catholic education and because Northwestern was a secular school, turned the offer down. The program officials, although stunned by his declination, offered to place him at Marquette University. He accepted the offer which would very much shape the rest of his life because of the strong life-long bond he would share with his Marquette scholar classmates. After college and a term in the Peace Corps he became a Chicago Police Officer and attended night classes at DePaul University Law School. After graduation he worked in various Federal and State positions before establishing his own successful law practice. He was lucky to meet Jo Ann Fujii and they fell in love. They married and settled in Deerfield where they raised their two bright, wonderful sons Liam and Mac who are now college students.

Bill was always a frustrated author and likely would have done a much better job if he could have written this himself.