April 24, 1924 – January 13, 2022
Nora “Jill” Adelman (nee Walters) died peacefully on January 13, 2022, in Northlake, Illinois, at the age of 94.
Jill is survived by her loving children: Michelle, Marguerite (Robert Ackland), Michael, Marc (Trish) and Jessica Adelman; grandchildren Jon, Ben, Jeffrey, Elinora and Gwendolen; great grandchildren Isabella and Penelope Ednie; and nieces Roxanne, Jennifer, and Aimee Bourget.
Born in Abergavenny, S. Wales, Jill had a distinguished career in nursing at Hines VA where she headed a model hospital-based home care program. Jill volunteered with the Boy and Girl Scouts, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Third Unitarian Church of Chicago, and the Chicago Coalition for National Health Services.
A zoom memorial service will be scheduled in the near future. Donations in her memory may be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of DuPage County or Aspire Chicago.
Jill Adelman was my mentor at NAMI Du Page fighting for the rights of those who had mental illnesses. She taught KEY was educating the public especially first responders. Although a larger than life gentle woman, she was a pitbull on advocating for those who couldn’t advocate for themselves.
I would not have been the Education Director at NAMI DuPage if Jill didn’t take the time to “show me the ropes.”
Besides being involved in starting the 1st Mental Health Court in DuPage County she wanted first responders trained in CIT.
My only regret is I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.
Knowing it was in God’s plan for me to meet Jill I pray to see her again in heaven.
I miss the twinkle in her eye and her broad smile. Michael she never gave up!
Pat Doyle
On behalf of all of us at NAMI DuPage, we extend our deepest condolences to Jill’s family and friends on the passing of a brilliant, kind, and visionary woman. Her legacy will live on in all those whose lives she touched. I met Jill more than 20 years ago when we served together on a county mental health committee. Today, I am the
Executive Director of NAMI DuPage. She was an inspiration to me and so many others as she worked diligently to remove the barriers and stigma related to mental illness. Rest in peace, dear friend.
Jill was a dear friend of my mother, June Sark Heinrich, a wonderful adopted grandmother to my children, Jeremy and Aria, and loving friend to me. Jill was a visionary leader as a nurse, a passionate advocate for the mentally ill, an ally for anyone who deserved better in life, and a fierce fighter for a better world. I was so lucky to know Jill and benefit from her interest and love. I’ll never forget the story she told about traveling to Wales alone with her five children under age five! She said everyone on the plane had a baby in their laps! This story made me stop complaining when raising two children was at times a challenge…Dori Heinrich Middleman
Leave a comment