HR0935 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0935 LRB104 21951 LAW 37898 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Allan Mellis, who passed away on April 26, 2026; and

WHEREAS, For more than 50 years, Allan Mellis, known as "The Mayor of Lincoln Park", served his community in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood as president and board member of the Wrightwood Neighbors Association; and

WHEREAS, Allan Mellis advocated strongly for the development, safety, and growth of Lincoln Park, one of the densest neighborhoods in Chicago, bringing together various community members' interests behind a common goal of improving their neighborhood; and

WHEREAS, Allan Mellis played a key role in launching Taste of Lincoln Avenue, which grew to become one of Chicago's most iconic food festivals and neighborhood events; and

WHEREAS, When the Lincoln Park branch of the Chicago Public Library faced a threat of closure, Allan Mellis organized his community and helped not only save but expand the library to a new location on Fullerton and Racine, which is now among the city's busiest; and

WHEREAS, Allan Mellis served on the DePaul Neighborhood Advisory Committee as well as the Children's Memorial Hospital Advisory Committee, managing the organizations' relationships with the community for the common good for years; and

WHEREAS, After working for IBM in Chicago for 25 years, instituting positive change within that organization, Allan Mellis transitioned in his career and worked as director of planning and development for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, where he managed a number of projects, including the renovation of Whealan Pool Aquatic Center and the construction of Little Red School House Nature Center; and

WHEREAS, Allan Mellis was one of America's foremost collectors of historical ice cream memorabilia, collecting over 30,000 ice cream related items, including signs, dishes, menus, and more, eventually donating many items in his collection to Finnegan's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor at the Museum of Science and Industry; he also founded the Ice Screamers, an association of ice cream memorabilia collectors; and

WHEREAS, Even after a stroke in 2021, Allan Mellis admirably continued his efforts to serve his community, tirelessly fighting for positive change in Lincoln Park while monitoring new developments and helping to shape the community's future; and

WHEREAS, Allan Mellis is survived by his wife, Linda Polacheck Mellis; his sons, David (Dena Molnar) Mellis and Daniel (April Sheridan) Mellis; three grandchildren; and his sister, Marilyn Longman; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Allan Mellis and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Allan Mellis as an expression of our deepest sympathy.