Post-Tribune

Union remembers 28-year-old Chicago postal worker fatally shot in Orland Park

- By Alexandra Kukulka akukulka @chicagotri­bune.com

A postal union president is rememberin­g the 28-year-old woman fatally shot in Orland Park last week as a hard worker.

Elise Foster, president of Branch 11 of the National Associatio­n of Letter Carriers, said Mechellea Williams was good at her job as a letter carrier.

“She was a hard worker. She loved her job and her co-workers. She was an excellent carrier,” Foster said.

The union held a balloon release Saturday for Williams, who was a postal worker for eight months at the Fort Dearborn-Chestnut post office at 540 Dearborn St., in Chicago, Foster said.

Williams was found shot inside a car at 12:03 a.m. in the 170th block of Redbud Lane, Orland Park police said.

An autopsy Thursday found Williams died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, which ruled her death a homicide.

“It was a tragedy,” Foster said. Orland Park police Cmdr. Ken Rosinski said Tuesday police had no updates in the investigat­ion, and police have not responded to requests for comment about the delay in informatio­n.

The Orland Park mayor’s secretary said Mayor Keith Pekau would comment when an update was available.

Williams, affectiona­tely known as Precious, leaves behind three sons ages 10, 6 and 10 months, according to a GoFundMe page created by her family.

“Mechellea embodied love, life, happiness and family,” the family wrote on the GoFundMe page.

The fundraisin­g page’s goal is to raise $20,000 for funeral costs and

providing care for her children. It had raised $5,913 as of Tuesday afternoon.

 ?? VINCENT ALBAN/CHICAGO TRIBUNE ?? Lisa Tillis, center, a post office worker, looks up at a balloon release Saturday in memory of Branch 11 of the National Associatio­n of Letter Carriers union member Mechellea Williams at the Fort Dearborn-Chestnut Station post office in Chicago.
VINCENT ALBAN/CHICAGO TRIBUNE Lisa Tillis, center, a post office worker, looks up at a balloon release Saturday in memory of Branch 11 of the National Associatio­n of Letter Carriers union member Mechellea Williams at the Fort Dearborn-Chestnut Station post office in Chicago.

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