Shelli Lynn Anderson passed away on Aug. 11. A longtime Evanston resident, she was the loving wife of Max Anderson Jr., beloved mother of Charlie Anderson, and doting dog mom to her beloved pups, Monty and Floyd. She also leaves her parents, Linda Gordon and Mel Boyer; her sister, Amy Lytle; and nieces and nephews Hannah, Michael, River, Bonnie, Drew and Emily.
She grew up in the Detroit area but moved to the Chicago area to attend Loyola University of Chicago. Shelli graduated summa cum laude with a degree in criminal justice. She continued her studies at Loyola University School of Law, graduating with honors in 1997.
Shelli was a partner at Franczek, a law firm that specializes in education, labor and employment law. She worked at Franczek for 25 years. For more than 20 years, Shelli was a trusted advisor to school boards and administrators across Illinois. She ensured that they could effectively serve their communities and, most importantly, their students. Shelli frequently handled difficult and sensitive personnel situations, led investigations and provided training to staff. All of these tasks she did with aplomb.
An expert in her field
Eric Witherspoon, former superintendent at ETHS, worked with Shelli for many years. In an email, he described what it was like to work with her.
“Shelli was a brilliant attorney. I worked closely with her, relying on her help with some of the most challenging legal issues we faced at ETHS,” he wrote. “I cherished her deep legal knowledge, her close attention to details, and her sound legal advice. The more challenging a situation, the more reassuring it was to be working with Shelli. One thing that distinguished her was her concern for people. She not only practiced law; she practiced the art of people. She strove to understand and relate to people. It was not just about the legal matters, but for her it was about the people involved as well. She cared.”
Another client of Shelli’s was Paul Sally, superintendent of New Trier High School. Sally said he worked with Shelli for more than 10 years.
“Shelli was an incredible person to work with … smart, insightful, and also very funny,” he said. “She knew our school, our teachers, our students, and our community really well. She gave great advice informed by her perspectives as a parent, a lawyer, and a community member that was both tailored to the individual circumstances we were facing and informed by years of experience from dealing with various issues in schools across the state.”
Sally specifically referenced her “extraordinary effort” for New Trier during the pandemic to “make sure we understood our options and all the legal issues at hand.”
He recalled “the generosity of heart and time Shelli showed to those who were trying to figure out the right solutions in sensitive and complex situations.”
She made everyone feel important
Shelli was a mentor and role model for other members of Franczek and a respected leader in the professional community. She founded the Women’s Network of School Administrators, a professional organization designed to support female school administrators in Illinois. She was keen to support women as they advanced into leadership roles.Â
A tribute on the Franczek website described Shelli as “a quick wit and good listener who made everyone she interacted with feel important – coworkers, clients, friends, and family.”
Shelli’s husband, Max, described her as “beautiful, loving, kind, supportive, generous, smart, quick witted and brave. She was a gentle soul who abhorred violence, pettiness, jealousy and arrogance. Shelli filled her life with people cut from a similar cloth. She would drop everything for a friend in need. Even during the last month of her life, she would reach out to her friends who she knew were dealing with their own struggles to lend a sympathetic ear. She was a loving wife and mother and a friend to many.”
A private struggle
Max said that while cancer and treatments took a toll on his wife’s body, she kept fighting and didn’t complain, as privately as circumstances would allow. She longed for normalcy and never wanted pity or to be treated differently.
She recognized how many people were helping her and felt blessed to have many kind, loving and supportive friends. The random note from a colleague, friend or client would bring her joy. Ultimately, she just wanted to spend her time with the people whom she loved most, chatting over a good meal or watching old action movies with a bowl of homemade popcorn with her family and dogs.
Max wrote, “More than anything, she wanted to see our son Charlie grow up and realize his dreams. She loved being an attorney, but it paled in comparison to how much she loved being a mom. We will never forget her.”
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Melanoma Research Alliance or the ASPCA. Both organizations were close to Shelli’s heart. A memorial service to celebrate Shelli’s life was held at the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation on Aug. 14.
I did not know this exceptional woman, Shelli Anderson, but reading the tribute to her brilliance, expertise, kindness, generosity, devotion to family, and impeccable work ethic touched me deeply. What a loss to her family, friends, colleagues, and community. May her memory be a blessing.