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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Wanda White Gills of Chicago, who passed
4 away on June 24, 2009; and
 
5     WHEREAS, She was born on November 11, 1956 in
6 Charlottesville, Virginia; she moved to Chicago in 1985 with
7 her husband, Elder Dr. Douglas Gills; and
 
8     WHEREAS, She served as an Assistant or Deputy Commissioner
9 under Chicago Mayors Harold Washington, Eugene Sawyer, and
10 Richard M. Daley; she was a community based coalition builder,
11 serving with the Community Workshop on Economic Development
12 (CWED) and the Women's Self Employment Project (WSEP); and
 
13     WHEREAS, She was known as the "Mother" of Chicago's
14 award-winning Empowerment Zone planning process, working
15 tirelessly in mobilizing low-income communities to participate
16 in the planning process while serving as the Executive Director
17 of CWED; after leaving CWED, she became the Development
18 Director of the Chicago Housing Authority Transition team,
19 spearheading the Hope VI planning and implementation process
20 involving public housing residents; and
 
21     WHEREAS, She was an active member of Progressive Community

 

 

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1 Center Church, where she served in a variety of positions,
2 including Chief Operating Officer and as a member of the Praise
3 Dance team; and
 
4     WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her brother, Clarence
5 White Ragland; and
 
6     WHEREAS, She is survived by her husband, Elder Dr. Douglas
7 Gills; her sons, Wilbur Scott and Raymond Douglas; her
8 daughter, Raniece White; her parents, Ray and Ethel Ragland;
9 her four grandchildren; her adopted sisters and brothers; and a
10 host of nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
11     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
12 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
13 her family and friends, the passing of Wanda White Gills; and
14 be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16 presented to the family of Wanda White Gills as a symbol of our
17 sincere sympathy.