2016 Patrica Makris Memorial Award goes to Rosanne Frances Cisek

2016

Patricia Makris Memorial Award

To Rosanne Frances Cisek

1947 – 2016

Rosanne Frances Cisek has been described by her family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors as fun, smart, warm, generous, caring, dedicated and “the cuter one”…all that knew her know that all of these adjectives are true.

Rosanne loved to party and entertain, especially at her pool with great summer gatherings, but she never wanted to be in the spotlight, which brings us to this evening.  Rosanne did not want to be recognized for all her hard work in Cicero School District #99 and her dedication to The Children’s Center of Cicero∙Berwyn, Inc.  She served on the Board of Directors of The Children’s Center for over 29 years.  She always felt there were others who did more than her and were more deserving.  She was always recruiting new people to join the Board of Directors and donate their time and talents.  Her idea for a fundraiser was to create a “Calendar” featuring Cicero/Berwyn Firemen and then hold an auction to win a date with one of them, she, of course, would win.

She was a dedicated daughter, lived in Chicago with her parents until they passed. One of her “claim to fame family stories” was that her grandmother came from Poland, on a boat with Charlie Chaplin.  She attended Siena High School and Pestalozzi-Froebel Teacher’s College, now known as National Louis University.  She was the eldest of four siblings, and aunt to many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.  Family was always a priority.  She loved doing things with all of them.

Her friends from college, friends she met through student teaching, taught with, worked with and played with remained friends and stayed in touch to the day she passed.  She travelled to Greece, Italy and Morocco.  She traveled to Spain to recruit teachers for the District.  She repeatedly vacationed in Florida and Lake Geneva.  She spent her entire teaching career from 1969 in Cicero District #99.  She taught 1^st and 2^nd grade.  She was an Assistant Principal at Columbus East and Principal at Sherlock.  She retired in 2004.  She had a passion for the young children, but always made time for conversations with the junior high students.  Rosanne expressed a constant interest in her teachers well being, making sure they had what they needed in their classrooms.

Rosanne helped parents, children, supplied families with food, clothes and even bought a student a graduation dress.   She was willing to do whatever she had to do to help children.  We honor Rosanne tonight in the community she was dedicated to and to her passion for children and her teachers.

We are proud to present the 2016 Patricia Makris Memorial Award to ROSANNE CISEK posthumously through her family.