1950

Donovan, Jane Ryan

McGloin, Dr. Mary T. Stanczak

Boyd, Gladys Differding, sister-in-law of Claire Cushing Differding ’41

Earley, Mary Delaney

Clark, Alice Dargan, daughter of the late Sarah Byrne Dargan ’13

Geary, Marie Hurley

Stapleton, Winifred T. Manning

Relos, Janet

Scales, Barbara Franke

Gehrman, Mary Carol O’Brien, sister-in-law of Patricia Kelly O’Brien ’53 and Marilyn Burchett O’Brien ’56

Witry, Catherine E. Sweeney

Wisniewski, Mildred Ann McCue

Trout, Diane Markey

Thulis, Virginia L. Grady

Sweeney, Jeanne A.

Slovey, Helen Ruth Havey

Ryan, Joan M. Eber

Reidy, Mary T.

Pressley, Beatrice Marie Moran

Post, Marie Antoinette D’Andrea

O’Donoghue, Kathleen M.

O’Connell, Mary C. Connolly

Noble, Marilyn Ruth Gilmore

McMahon, Mary Kay Westhoven

McIlvain, Marlene R. Schmitz

McHugh, Marylyn Jane Hagen

Marion, Jeanne P.

Mangin, Marilyn C.

Kowalewska, Diane G. Gaspszewicz

Koelikamp, Betty Lee Erickson

King, Jacquelyn Fay Vinlove

Kilbane, Mary Patricia Burke

Johnson, Mary Alice Wallace

Jaffray, Patricia Smith

Hunt, Catherine M. McCarthy

Hoyt, Ann Hynes

Hornett, Lolita Jean Kornmayer

Healy, Duanne J. Graver

Halaburt, Mary Louise

Garvin, Marjorie C. Unger

Flohr, Beverly Ellen Shapiro

Edman, Marianne E. O’Brien

Earley, Mary Rita Donohue

Dunning, Donna Jean McMahon

Dunne, Kathleen Mary Henry

Dorini, Jeane Marie Olson

Conway, Mary Catherine Cavaney

Chorley, Virginia C. Wiley

Carballo, Patricia Jule Daly

Burdette, Marceline May Greenawalt

Brown, Bobbi Byrne

Brady, Coletta M. Evans

Anderson, Colette Agnes McMahon

Alley, Mary Frances Lane

Ahern, Margaret Ann McGuire

Carole R. Nolan ’50, ‘founding mother’ of WBEZ-FM, loved A.O.L. and S.S.N.D.

Carole R. Nolan ’50, was certain about who had provided the foundation of knowledge she later built upon during her early career as an educator and later as a public radio pioneer with station WBEZ (91.5 FM) in Chicago. Carole praised her teachers at the Academy of Our Lady for their career-shaping guidance.

In accepting an achievement award in 2006 from the School Sisters of Notre Dame Chicago Province, Carole recalled: “Sister Aventine and Sister Josephine awakened my interest in science. Sister Cortona put the fear of God in me as I learned Latin, and Sister Charlette helped me develop study habits in my quest for knowledge. Sister Eudocia developed my interest in ancient history and probably influenced my travel. I loved Longwood and the beautiful campus. I can still remember the fun we had at the Mission parties. [They were] probably my introduction to fundraising, which later helped me raise money for public radio.”

Carole, who was 80, died July 5 in hospice care from the effects of muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease. Tributes posted within hours of her death on WBEZ’s website illustrated how very well Carole had learned her Longwood teachers’ lessons. One former colleague lauded her as the “founding mother” of WBEZ in the early 1970s. Another praised her leadership over the years in transforming the station from an underused instructional outlet owned by the Chicago Board of Education to that of the independent, not-for-profit entity Chicago Public Radio (now Chicago Public Media). Among Carole’s accomplishments mentioned on WBEZ’s website and in her Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune obituaries were her improvement of the station’s broadcasting capabilities, programming and audience share; linking WBEZ with National Public Radio; and–in 1995–moving the station from its Loop location to state-of-the-art facilities at Navy Pier. The Tribune quoted Torey Malatia, Chicago Public Media’s current CEO, in describing Carole’s talent for overcoming challenges: “She was an incisive business professional who let no obstacle, no matter how formidable, stop her.”

And although she was a role model for aspiring women executives, Carole—still a teacher in some respects–also was known for her compassion in developing young talent.

To prepare for her life’s journey, Carole earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at DePaul University and then a teaching degree from Chicago Musical College, where she studied piano. Prior to her radio career, she taught science and music in the Chicago Public School system, wrote science curricula and developed television production classes for high school students.

At her retirement in the mid-1990s, Carole had served for 25 years as WBEZ/Chicago Public Media’s general manager and chief executive, and she had won many awards. Her love of travel had taken her to every continent. Several years ago she moved from her north suburban home to a senior living community in Arlington Heights. Recently she had been writing a book about her years with the radio station.

Survivors include Jane Marie Smith, a friend of 53 years, and several cousins.

Rauen, Beverly Eckert, sister-in-law of Mary Lou Streff Eckert ’40 and Mary Clare Bialecke Eckert ’59

Desidero, Eileen Tatro

Cramsie, Jeriann Clare O’Melia

Puschak, Donna (Madonna) McMullen, sister of Genevieve McMullen Schaefer ’49

McGeehan, Patricia Murphy, sister of Marguerite Murphy Altenbach ’40

Murray, Mary Camille, sister of Marita Murray ’53

Noble, Marilyn Gilmore

O’Connell, Mary Connelly

Kilbane, Mary Patricia Burke, sister of Rita Burke Carr ’48