Internet Activist Aaron Swartz's Teachers Remember 'Brilliant' Student

The Internet pioneer passed away this weekend in an apparent suicide. He was a student at North Shore Country Day School and grew up in Highland Park. His funeral is Tuesday morning.

Teachers and administrators at North Shore Country Day School in Winnetka remember former student Aaron Swartz as extremely intelligent and curious. Swartz, an Internet activist, co-creator of social news website Reddit and founder of Demand Progress, was found dead in an apparent suicide on Friday in his apartment in Brooklyn. He was 26. Swartz grew up in Highland Park and attended North Shore Country Day School through 9th grade. “He was a very creative boy and a very clever and bright child,” said Pam Whalley, head of lower school. “He was always engaged in school work. He loved … the creative opportunities he had here.” Whalley also noted that Swartz demonstrated the ability to tackle complex problems at a young age.  “He was always …

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Louis Crow Memorial on Thursday in Glenview

Crow, a Northbrook resident, passed away last Friday. He was 61.

Former Northbrook Resident Passes Away At 82

Lois B. Schirmer, the daughter of a former door-to-door vacuum salesman, also lived in Glenview and Florida.

Lois B. Schirmer went to college in Maine, worked for Peoples Gas in Chicago and eventually lived in Beverly Hills, Florida, the Chicago Tribune reports.  Schirmer, 82, who died on June 15, leaves behind a daughter, Catherine, and son, Harold. A service was held on June 19 at the St. Peter Community Church.  Schirmer's father, Harold P. Bull, was a door-to-door vacuum salesman in the 1920's and 30's, and later became vice president of the Norge division of Borg-Warner Corp., according to the Tribune.  Bull passed away in 1984, after living for more than 30 years in Glenview.  If you knew Lois, please share a few words in the comment section. If you have a photo of her, you can upload it above. 

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Jan Borja, Former New Trier Principal, Dies at 65

The funeral for the Glenview resident is set for Wednesday at New Trier's Northfield campus.

Janet M. Borja, 65, of Glenview, died early Saturday morning after her battle with breast cancer. According to an obituary posted on Donnellan Family Funeral Services her last moments were spent with her husband, Jesus, daughter Kristin (Michael) Endre, and son James. She is also survived by her mother Edith Harris Johnson, brother Richard (Elaine) Harris, sister Jean (Richard) Bukowski, and grandson Charles Endre, and was preceded in death by her father Alfred Harris. Earlier: Waechtler Named Northfield Campus Principal Jan dedicated most of her professional career to the students and community of New Trier High School. She worked there for 40 years as a teacher, adviser, adviser chair, department chair and principal. She put together the…

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