Cindy Pritzker dies at 101

As a visionary who saw what Chicago libraries could be, Cindy Pritzker helped countless Chicago children discover the joy of books. A philanthropist, a prominent member of Chicago’s civic community, and a matriarch of one of Chicago’s most influential Jewish families, Pritzker died on March 15 at the age of 101.

As a champion of libraries and the president of the Chicago Public Library Board, Pritzker led a fruitful decade of growth in the 1990s for the city’s libraries, overseeing the construction of 30 new or renovated neighborhood branches, and the creation of Harold Washington Library Center. She founded the Chicago Public Library Foundation, ensuring that programs that support lifelong learning would flourish throughout Chicago to this day.

Pritzker was married to the late Jay Pritzker, who created and ran the Hyatt Hotels chain. Like her husband, she loved architecture, was a co-founder of the Pritzker Architecture Prize (considered the Nobel Prize for architecture), and played a pivotal role in the creation of several cultural landmarks, including the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millenium Park.

“Cindy was an amazing lady who thought big and enjoyed time spent in doing for others,” reflected Dr. Steven B. Nasatir, JUF Executive Vice Chairman.

Born Marian Friend in Chicago in 1923 to Cook County Judge Hugo Friend and Sadie Friend, Pritzker grew up on the South Side and attended Hyde Park High School and Grinnell College. Pritzker met her husband while on vacation in Eagle Creek, Wis., and married in August 1947.

Along with all her accomplishments, Pritzker liked to have a good time, too. In the early 1980s, she commissioned artist Andy Warhol to produce a silkscreen portrait of her, which now hangs in her namesake rooftop restaurant, Cindy’s, in the Chicago Athletic Association building on Michigan Avenue. She also got her ears pierced for the first time at 80 years old.

“She loved to laugh,” said her son, Tom Pritzker. “She was a woman with attitude from childhood until the day of her passing. [She] smoked nearly a pack a day and cared deeply about her city.”   

“Mama was one my best friends and mentors,” added her grandson, Jason Pritzker. “She was always available to help work through a complex issue or just for a good laugh. She always pushed me, and everyone around her, to be their best. I will miss her and think about her daily.”  

Pritzker, a golden giver member of JUF, was preceded in death by her beloved husband Jay Pritzker, and their daughter Nancy Pritzker. She is survived by her daughter, Gigi Pritzker Pucker (Michael); her sons, Tom (Margot), John (Mo), and Dan Pritzker (Karen Edensword); and her 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Services were private. Memorial contributions can be made to the Chicago Public Library Foundation or the Nancy Pritzker Laboratory at Stanford University.