Obituaries

William Brace, 79, Professor emeritus, library science, Dominican U.

William Brace, 79, professor emeritus, Dominican University‘s Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS), died recently in Oak Park. Born in Cortez, Colorado, the second of four sons of Katherine and James Brace. Mr. Brace grew up on the Navajo Reservation where his father taught in the vocational education branch of the Indian Service, living in various parts of Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. After this unusual childhood, when he was in his teens, his family moved to Farmington, N.M., on the edge of the reservation where his father opened a restaurant.

Mr. Brace graduated from high school in Farmington and went on to Brigham Young University, graduating in 1951 and serving in the army from 1951 to 1953. He earned an M.A from the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago (1955) and a Ph.D. from the School of Library and Information Science at Case Western Reserve University. He returned to BYU to serve as a documents librarian in 1955, then moved to Chicago in 1957 as the assistant librarian for Chicago Teachers College-North after his marriage to Phyllis Arlene Mayer (known as Pam).

In 1961 Mr. Brace accepted a teaching position at Florida State University in Tallahassee, where he remained for one year, then returned to the Chicago area to teach at Rosary College (now Dominican University). He taught in the Graduate School of Information and Library Science at Rosary/Dominican for 37½ years before retiring.

In describing the impact of his decades of service to the Illinois and national library and information communities, Dominican University President Donna M. Carroll observed, “The impact that Bill Brace’s commitment to learning and service made upon decades of library and information students is simply incalculable. For so many and for so long he was the caring face of GSLIS and represented the best of his profession and his university, proudly serving Rosary College as it grew into Dominican University.”

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues and successors within Dominican University‘s Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Dean Susan Roman recalled how she had known and admired Bill Brace while a student at Rosary College. “On a philosophical level, Bill was passionate about his beliefs and insights. On a personal level, he inevitably tried to see the humanity of his intellectual opponents.”

The Braces lived in Oak Park and Forest Park for 47 years. He served as president of Oak Park-River Forest Rotary (1992/93) where he was a member for 26 years. An active member of the Prairie Club, he served as bulletin editor from 1968-69 and 1975-79, as director in 1976, and president in 1985-86. In recognition of his services, he was granted a life membership. He was also a member of the Caxton Club and the University Club. Proud of his Welsh heritage, he was a member of the Cambrian Benevolent Society. Friends say they will remember him for his generosity and wry wit.

A life member of the American Library Association and Illinois Library Association, as well as a past-member of the American Society for Information Science, the Association for Libray and Information Science Education, the American Society for Information Science (serving as Chicago chapter president 1992, 1993), and Catholic Library Association.

In addition to his wife, Pam, Bill Brace is survived by his nephews, Melvin (Sherry), Robert (Susie), and Patrick Brace; a niece, Suzanne Brace; his grandnieces, Joanna, Victoria, Madeline, and Skylar Brace; his grandnephews, Dylan, Ashton, and Aidan Brace, and many good friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers.

A memorial service will be held at a later date, to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rotary Foundation,

William Rigali, 73, ND football player, HVAC entrepreneur

William Charles Rigali, 73, of Benton Harbor, Mich., and Surprise, Ariz., died of complications from Alzheimer’s, on Oct. 9, 2008. Born to Joseph and Eleanor Rigali in Chicago on Feb. 8, 1935, he attended Fenwick High School in Oak Park and received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1957. He played football at the university and remained a devoted alumnus.

Following graduation from Notre Dame, Bill married his longtime sweetheart Roberta Ivins in August 1957, and raised four children while living in Oak Park; White Plains, N.Y., and Wheaton.

He served in the Special Forces Navy Seabees as a Lt. JG at Glynco Naval Air Station in Brunswick, Ga. After his military service, he began a long and successful career, primarily as a principal owner and entrepreneur in the commercial and industrial HVAC industry, founding and successfully running Comfort Systems, Inc. and RBI, Inc. He also ran the New York office of his family’s business, Daprato Rigali Studios.

He was a longtime member of  Point O’ Woods Country Club in Benton Harbor, Mich., and friends and family say they will remember his love of Notre Dame and country and his ability to make others feel special.

Surviving are his loving wife of 51 years, Roberta (Ivins); his children and their spouses, William C. (Chuck) Rigali Jr. & Katrina Kopps Rigali, Greg & Kathy (Buck) Rigali, Anne Marie & Michael Skalecki, and David & Molly (Martin) Rigali; and his grandchildren, Frankie (Ostello), Alexandra, Isabella Rigali, Megan, Will Rigali, George and Grace Skalecki, and Matthew, Katie and Thomas Rigali.

Funeral mass was celebrated Oct. 13^th at St. Edmund Church,

Arrangements were handled by Drechsler Brown & Williams Funeral Home in Oak Park.

Jeanne McKeon, 80

Jeanne T. McKeon (nee McMahon), 80, of Del Mar, Calif., formerly of River Forest, died recently. She was the wife of the late Edward; the mother of Edward J. (Nancy), Jeanne (Joseph) Amador , Maureen (Michael) Ramirez, and Daniel (Ruth); the grandmother of seven; the daughter of the late Joseph A. & Mary K. “Mae” McMahon; and the sister of  William (Gloria). She was preceded in death by Joseph (Charlotte),  John (the late Marie & the late Elaine), Thomas (the late Ramona),  Edward, Mary Rita (the late Dennis) Horan, Lorraine, George, Raymond (the late Mary), and James (Tina); and the aunt of many. A memorial requiem mass will be celebrated on Oct. 18 at 12 noon at St. Luke Church, Lathrop Avenue & Lake Street in River Forest.