Maureen Yates (D-IL-6)

Maureen Elizabeth Ann Yates

Maureen Yates Congressional Candidate Illinois District 6

Biography of Maureen Yates from People for Maureen Yates

Born in England of Irish parents. As a small child I went through the second world war in the outskirts of London, so I know what it was like to be bombed.

Education:Grammar School (English High School). University entrance (7subjects). Worked for a Trade Union for 5 years. They sent me to London University (work release program). B.A.English through Workers Education Society. I belonged to a union and worked for a union so I saw the inside of negotiating for better conditions for the people.

Married first husband (Captain in Merchant Navy) married 14years and had two daughters. Had a home in London surburbs but joined husband on station in the West Indies for 2 years and then in South Africa for almost 2 years. Left him to get a divorce in England with full custody of the two girls.

Worked in London as secretary to the president of a chemical company 5years. Then worked for computer company as executive in charge of all women staff. Met present husband, married and left to have son.

Husband transferred to Brussels, Belgium for eighteen months and then transferred to Bremen in Germany for 2 years. I moved with him. He was then transferred to Stamford, Connecticut with Philip Morris. I worked for an attorney in Trumbull, CT. as a paralegal working on the real estate closings. He was also Chairman of the Democratic Party in that town and I worked with him on those projects. This was for just over 7 years. Then my husband was transferred to Chicago, working for Morton Chemical Company. I opened my own company, teaching and demonstrating flower arranging and then I added wedding planning. That was for around 15 years and I have just retired about 2 years ago.

We have lived in Barrington for 25 years; my son graduated Barrington High School and is now a policeman on the south side of Chicago. His wife is a teacher in Chicago; my eldest daughter is a social worker in Connecticut and her husband is a teacher there. My other daughter is an early learning teacher in Connecticut married to an engineer. They both have two daughters each and my son has a son. The grandchildren range in age from 18 to almost 4; the eldest is in college and our grandson is now in day care.

For 29 years I volunteered at a not for profit group of homes for the elderly, at first in New York and then in Brookfield, Illinois. I was a board member for 10years and the State President for 4years. We organized many fund raisers, oversaw the budget, finances and ethics. I ran the Board for the 501(c)3 part of the organization. For 4years I was also on the Home Board which runs the Home. I volunteered at Good Shepherd Hospital for around 4years. I was on the board of the NW Animal League which was an organization devoted to lobbying for animal protection laws. I am an Election Judge; having been so for the last 8years and I had to take a sabbatical to run. I worked on the Melissa Bean campaign for 7years, making phone calls, mailings, writing letters to the press and was on the fund-raising committee where we promoted our candidate, co-opted volunteers and obtained contributions.

I belong to the following fund raising organizations: Public Citizens, Common Cause,Sierra Club,Audobon Society,Defenders of Wildlife, ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center,The Nature Conservancy, National Parks & National Parks Conservation Association,World Wildlife Fund,National Wildlife Federation,Wilderness Society, Paralyzed Veterans of America,PETA,Castleton Horse Rescue,The Assisi Foundation, National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund,NAACP, SW.Indian Relief Council, Christian Appalachian Project, Toys4Tots. Then, of course, the Democratic Party, (DNC), the DCCC and our President Barack Obama.