Joseph Kenneth Lunn

Joseph (Joe) Lunn, loving husband of Susan Lunn, died on June 6th, 2026, at the age of 80. He is survived by Susan, daughter Sarah Sheridan (Patrick), grandchildren Gray and Trip, sister Evelyn (George), and nephew Alec.

Please direct donations to As Good as Golden Retriever Rescue of Illinois, 518 S. Route 31, Suite 178, McHenry, Illinois 60050.

Joe’s personality was shaped by several incidents during his life. He spent six months fighting a serious case of Rheumatic Fever ending at LaRabida Children's Hospital where he saw both his roommates die from that same disease. Later in life, he survived a quadruple bypass and other heart ailments.

These experiences made Joe realize how lucky he was, “There but for fortune”. These incidents sparked his dedication to helping those less fortunate and launched lifelong involvement in leading and supporting civic and charitable causes.

Education

Joe graduated from Lane Technical High School with four service letters. He went on to North Park University where he earned a BA in Psychology, followed by Roosevelt University where he earned a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Joe’s passion for learning didn’t stop with academic degrees. He went on to take Insurance Management Training at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and a Certificate in Cross-Cultural Management from Michigan State University.

Professional Certifications include Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Insurance Counselor (CIC), Certified Computer Professional (CCP), Reengineering, Change Management, Quality Management and Project Management Professional (PMP) and LEAN designations. Most recently, he earned a Certificate of Merit in Nature and Landscape Photography from the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Career

Joe began his career at Kemper Insurance (13 years), where he managed personal and commercial Insurance underwriting teams, provided company-wide underwriting analysis and served as a manager of Agency-Company Electronic Interface.

He moved to Alexander & Alexander (6 years) in Maryland to become AVP of Systems and Corporate Planning and to be with his life-long love Susan. In this role he developed MAPS, a global marketing and sales system.

Joe then joined the Marlyand Casualty Company, where he became AVP of Field Operations and Data Quality Officer. He then became VP of Business Process Reengineering. He reengineered over 70 businesses resulting in $59 million first-year savings. On special assignment to Maryland Casualty’s parent company, Zurich Insurance, Joe led a 13-country cross-functional, cross-cultural team based in Zurich Switzerland that reengineered Zurich’s international insurance processes, positioning the company for profitable growth.

Joe joined Zurich Insurance permanently, where he developed Global Financial Intelligence (GFI), a secure, web-based system that provided global claims, risk engineering, coverage and finance information to Global Corporate Customers. He led the North American Project Management Office for three years and then became manager of Strategic Sourcing where he helped initiate a 2,300- employee outsourcing deal. He developed cross-cultural training for U.S. and India-based employees.

Joe concluded his career as Manager of Project Portfolio Management, where he prioritized $159 million annual project demand based on cost, resource demand, benefits, risk and change impact to customers. He coached managers of selected projects to ensure successful delivery and implemented Value Management to assure benefit achievement. He continued to deliver cross-cultural effectiveness training int hew U.S., U.K, Switzerland, Germany, India plus 12 other countries.

Community Service

Joe’s volunteer, charitable and philanthropic initiatives included:

Vice President- Morton Arboretum Photographic Society. Joe organized a project to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Schulenberg Prairie. Members captured 1,164 images of the prairie in all four seasons and resulted in an exhibit that drew a record-breaking 1,542 guests. He recruited skilled photographers to deliver monthly presentations to the membership.

Joe served in multiple leadership positions, including Treasurer, Public Relations/Marketing Coordinator, Fundraising Coordinator, Vice President, and Director for As Good as Gold Golden Retriever Rescue. By raising funds, publicizing the group he helped achieve financial health and organization effectiveness. With his wife Susan, established over 1,000 public outreach events called Meet & Greets.

As President of the Chicago Junior Association of Commerce & Industry (Jaycees), Joe helped organize and deliver over 200 civic, community and youth programs throughout Chicago. He was one of the leaders in the successful campaign to achieve women’s membership in the Jaycee organization.

As President of the School for the Treatment of Emotional Problems in Children (STEP), he stabilized funding and expanded enrollment for autistic children and others with emotional issues.

As Director of the Children’s Guild in Baltimore, Maryland, he launched Maryland’s first group home for autistic teenagers.

Joe Chaired the Illinois Jaycees Government Affairs Committee successfully lobbying for adoption of the 911 emergency phone number, merit selection of judges and economic impact statements in Illinois. Provided education of national, state, and local governmental processes of facilitated voter registration.

Joe, with his wife Susan led Baltimore and Maryland Congressional debates and the Baltimore Mayoral Political debate.

As a member of the Illinois Mental Health Task Force, Joe visited and evaluated residential facilities and recommended improvements. In addition, teamed with Chicago Cubs baseball star Ron Santo to promote the city-wide Operation Snowball fundraising program to provide clothing and gifts to mental health patients. He led a work experience program involving 40 businesses that provided work training opportunities for recovering patients.

Joe recommended strategies to desegregate Chicago Public Schools as a member of the Chicago City-Wide Advisory Committee on Desegregation.

Susan and Joe advocate for and financially support continuing development of the Morton Arboretum’s Schulenberg Prairie and new prairie initiatives with sizeable financial gifts, as well as volunteer contributions.

Recognition

Joe’s community service was honored with the following recognition:

• Recognition Award, As Good as Gold Golden Retriever Rescue, 2023

• Baltimore is Best Award, Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, 1989

• Baltimore League of Women Voters, Recognition Award, 1988

• One of the Ten Outstanding Young Citizens of Chicago, 1980

• Beautiful People Award, Chicago Urban League, 1980

• Outstanding Young Man of America, 1978

• Community Service Award, STEP School, 1978

• Senator, Jaycees International, 1978

• Outstanding Officer, Illinois Jaycees, N.E. Region, 1976

• Blind Skiing Federation, Award of Merit, 1976

• Distinguished Service Award, Chicago Jaycees, 1974

• Volunteer of the Year, Mental Health Association, 1974

• Citizens’ Committee for Battered Children, 1973

• Saltiel Award for the Best New Project, 1972