This week on Hibernian Radio, host Mike Houlihan welcomes Maureen O’Donnell, the longtime obituary writer for the Chicago Sun-Times. A proud Northwest Sider with deep Irish roots, Maureen shares the story of her path into journalism and her two decades chronicling the lives of extraordinary Chicagoans. She discusses her start at the City News Bureau, the lessons learned from her father’s love of writing, and her transition into obituary writing in 2009. Maureen offers an inside look at the art and responsibility of writing about life and loss, emphasizing accuracy, empathy, and the power of storytelling. Throughout the conversation, she recalls some of her most memorable subjects, including Jim Cole, the nature photographer who survived two grizzly bear attacks; Paul Obis, founder of Vegetarian Times; Chicago’s first Asian American principal, Sam Ozaki; and Bernard Slaughter, the mortician who prepared Sam Cooke’s body. She also remembers Ben Wilson, the high school basketball star whose tragic death left a lasting impact on the city. Maureen reflects on her father’s experiences during the Blitz, her own travels around the world, and the unpretentious, resilient spirit that defines Chicago.

Sponsors for this episode: Madden Funds, Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Fox’s Pizza, Flood Brothers Disposal