Jerre Robert Donnelly of Chicago, Illinois, died Saturday, Feb. 7 at his home after a brief reoccurrence of cancer. He was 73.
After his graduation from the University of Cincinnati and a successful career in retail design for several prominent companies in the United States and the United Kingdom, Mr. Donnelly earned his Master’s degree from the Jane Addams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
Mr. Donnelly began his second career working with people with AIDS through the Howard Brown Clinic and continued as a psychiatric social worker on staff at Chicago-Read Hospital. He retired after fourteen years of service.
In his retirement, Mr. Donnelly taught weekly art classes for several clients in the residential program of Anixter Center.
Mr. Donnelly was among the early applicants for a civil union license in the State of Illinois. He and his husband, Timothy Stephen Wright, took advantage of the opportunity to convert their civil union into a true marriage when marriage equality became the law in Illinois.
Mr. Donnelly is survived by his husband; his brother and sister-in-law Mr. and Mrs. Jack (Ann) Donnelly of Mason, Ohio; and numerous loving nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Memorial donations can be made online to the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org/donate. Arrangements entrusted to Cremation Society of Illinois. Info 773-281-5058.