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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Odessa Hartley McReynolds, who passed
4away on December 25, 2022; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Odessa McReynolds was born in Addicks, Texas to
6Pearl (Roquemore) and Daniel Hartley on November 20, 1924; she
7grew up on her family's farm in southeast Texas surrounded by
8her immediate and extended family and pets, including a dog
9known affectionately as Such; she was raised in Damascus
10Missionary Baptist Church in Houston and spent much of her
11adolescence under the care of her aunt, Ella; she graduated
12from Jack Yates High School; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Odessa McReynolds moved to Chicago in 1942 at the
14age of 17 and became a member of Union Evangelistic Baptist
15Church in Chicago Heights; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Odessa McReynolds married Marshall Berry
17McReynolds on September 24, 1944, and they raised their family
18in East Chicago Heights (now Ford Heights) before moving to
19Markham; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Odessa McReynolds held a variety of jobs
21throughout her life; she retired from being a certified

 

 

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1nursing assistant at Windmill Nursing Pavilion in South
2Holland; she always maintained, however, that her primary and
3most important occupation was being a devoted mother,
4grandmother, and great-grandmother; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Odessa McReynolds was a faithful member of her
6children's schools' parent-teacher associations, serving in
7the roles of vice president and president in both Ford Heights
8and Midlothian; she was deeply committed to her children's
9formal education; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Odessa McReynolds joined Portland Street Church
11of God in Christ at the age of 23, where she remained a
12dedicated member for nearly eight decades; she was active with
13the Sunday school, teaching vacation Bible school and junior
14and adult Sunday school; ultimately, she served in the
15position of adult Sunday school assistant superintendent; she
16was also a well-respected member of the Mother's Board,
17holding the position of head church mother; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Odessa McReynolds was preceded in death by her
19husband, Marshall; her parents; her grandparents, Sam and
20Lizzie Roquemore; her aunt, Ella Roquemore Walls; her
21daughter, Mardine; her grandsons, Larry and Khal; and other
22close relatives and friends; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Odessa McReynolds is survived by her children,
2Marshall, James (LaQuetia), Janis, Myron (Nancy), and Bettie;
3her grandchildren, Marcya, Dina, Terence, Marquis, Jonathan,
4Sydney, Chaz, Caroline, and Julia; her great-grandchildren,
5Jalen, Khylah, Khalil, Angel, Alexis, Zachariah, Marquis Jr.,
6and Manuel; her cousins, Bettye Jo Taylor and Ava Stewart; and
7numerous other dear family members and friends; therefore, be
8it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
10ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
11Odessa Hartley McReynolds and extend our sincere condolences
12to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be
13it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the family of Odessa McReynolds as an expression
16of our deepest sympathy.