Jeanne Elizabeth Haley, 70, a 44-year resident of the Ludeman Developmental Center in Park Forest, died peacefully on Sept. 30, 2026. She was born on Sept. 17, 1956 in Chicago, with profound developmental disabilities. She had a hard life though surrounded by a loving family and caring aides at Ludeman. Her challenges, and the mostly grim conditions at the first state institution at which she lived, sparked Mary and Frank Haley into assuming unexpected roles as political activists and problem-solvers. They devoted decades to effectively building parent and guardian organizations that intensely lobbied the state government to improve conditions for these most vulnerable Illinois citizens.
That work was continued after Mary and Frank’s deaths by two of Jeanne’s siblings. John Haley has gone on to lead the board of the Parents and Friends of the Ludeman Center. Her late sister, Mary, focused on Jeanne’s care and providing loving support.
Jeanne changed the life of her family in endless and grace-filled ways. From her early years living at home in Oak Park and needing near constant attention from her grammy, her parents and her sisters and brothers, Jeanne taught her family to battle for humane care for all those with disabilities, and she broadened the perspectives of every family member in seeing the goodness and value in every life.
Jeanne was the daughter of the late Frank and Mary Haley; the sister of Sister Jeanne Haley, John (Julia) Haley, Dan (Mary Colleen) Haley, the late Mary Haley, and the late Bill (Peggy) Haley; the aunt of Katie (Jeff) Philippe, Thomas (Cathy Hwang) Haley, Claire Haley, Rose Haley, Ben Haley, and Mariah Haley; and the great-aunt of Levon Philippe, Nayeli Haley, and Sebastian Hwang-Haley.
Visitation was held on Oct. 2, at Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Naperville. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Saturday, Oct. 3, at St. Patrick’s Residence Chapel, 1400 Brookdale Road, Naperville, with interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside.
For those who would like to leave a lasting tribute to Jeanne’s life, memorial donations to the Parents and Friends of Ludeman Center (PFLC) would be greatly appreciated.