Smith, Mary Ann Lila

Mary Ann Smith, a Mundelein College graduate, has lived in the Edgewater and Uptown communities for thirty years with her husband, Ronald C. Smith, a professor at John Marshall Law School, and her two sons. Long before her appointment as Alderman to the 48th Ward, Smith dedicated her time and efforts to the improvements of the ward. She was first involved with ward politics as part of the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO), working with Edgewater activists Marion Volini and Kathy Osterman, who both served as 48th Alderwomen. In 1989, Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Smith to replace Kathy Osterman who took a position with the Daley administration, and she was elected in her own right two years later. Smith enjoyed several successful reelections, the last in 2007 to her fifth full term as alderwoman. In serving the 48th Ward, Smith was dedicated to matters concerning the economic and residential development, environmental issues, community outreach through education, traffic and transportation improvements, and expanding services to youth and the elderly. The 48th Ward, one of the most diverse in the city, is home to the Edgewater and Uptown communities, with Clark Street as its border to the west, Lake Michigan to the east, and reaching as far north as Sheridan Road and as far south as Leland. Smith retired in February 2011 as alderman.