The recent passing of Ward 23 Alderwoman Colleen Sondermann and Ward 25 Alderman Dan Kirner - officemates, in fact - gives one pause.

Although of course politicians are not immortal by any stretch of the imagination, it is a reminder that just as families are impacted significantly by the death of several family members in a short sequence, legislative bodies lose something when several members die suddenly.

Also they remind us of the enormous impact cancer has on the United States. Ms. Sondermann died on February 19th, of a blood clot apparently caused by complications from chemotherapy treatment for ovarian cancer; Mr. Kirner died on March 19th - just one month later - from stomach cancer. Sondermann was 46; Kirner was 69.