Minimum widow’s annuities after July 1, 1935-Widow of pensioner under prior act. Whenever the annuity under any provision of this Article for a widow of a fireman described in this section is less than $45 per month, the following described widows shall receive $45 per month after July 1, 1935, or after the death of the fireman if such death occurs on or after July 1, 1935, and prior to July 1, 1969, and $100 per month if the death of the fireman occurs on or after July 1, 1969, and from and after August 19, 1971 a minimum widow’s annuity of $150 per month to July 1, 1975, $175 a month after July 1, 1975 and before January 1, 1976, and $200 a month after January 1, 1976 and before July 1, 1981, and $250 a month beginning July 1, 1981, shall be paid to all widows hereinafter described, without regard to the fact that the death of the fireman occurred before the applicable minimum rate was established by law, provided that the $175 a month or $200 a month or $250 a month minimum rates apply only in the event the fireman had at least 10 years of service credit at his date of death in the service: (a) the widow of a fireman who dies in service; (b) the widow of a fireman who withdraws after 20 or more years of service and who enters upon annuity after age 50 or more, provided, that the widow is married to the fireman before he withdraws from service; (c) the widow of a fireman who has served 20 or more years and who withdraws from service before age 50 and who dies before he enters upon an annuity, provided, that the widow is married to the fireman before he withdraws from service.
     The widow of a fireman who was receiving a pension under “An Act to provide for a firemen’s pension fund and to create a board of trustees to administer said fund in cities having a population exceeding two hundred thousand (200,000) inhabitants”, in force July 1, 1917, shall be paid a pension of $45 per month. Such pension, however, shall not be allowed if the widow married the fireman pensioner subsequent to the date of his retirement with a pension under said Act and after June 30, 1915.
     The widow of a fireman who retires from service after December 31, 1975 or who dies while in service after December 31, 1975 and on or after the date on which he becomes eligible to retire under Section 6-128 shall, if she is otherwise eligible for a widow’s annuity under this Article and if the amount determined under this Section is more than the total combined amounts of her widow’s annuity and widow’s prior service annuity, receive, in lieu of such other widow’s annuity and widow’s prior service annuity, a widow’s annuity equal to 40% of the amount of annuity which her deceased fireman husband received as of the date of his retirement on annuity or if he dies in the service prior to retirement on annuity a widow’s annuity equal to 40% of the amount of annuity her deceased fireman husband would have been entitled to receive if he had retired on the day before the date of his death in the service, except that if the age of the wife at date of retirement or the age of the widow at date of death in the service is more than 5 years younger than her fireman husband, the amount of such annuity shall be reduced by 1/2 of 1% for each such month and fraction thereof that she is more than 5 years younger at date of retirement or at date of death subject to a maximum reduction of 50%. However, no annuity under this Section shall exceed $500.00 per month.
     This Section does not apply to the widow of any former fireman who was receiving an annuity from the fund on December 31, 1975 and who re-enters service as a fireman, unless he renders at least 3 years of additional service after re-entry.