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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | ||||||
3 | learn of the death of Leola Williams Robinson White of Chicago, | ||||||
4 | who passed away on October 16, 2017; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Leola White was born in Natchez, Mississippi to | ||||||
6 | Anna and Claude Williams on April 5, 1915; she was one of ten | ||||||
7 | children; she left school in the fourth grade to help pick | ||||||
8 | cotton and take care of her siblings and mother; she moved to | ||||||
9 | Chicago in 1946; she later married Tommie White; and
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10 | WHEREAS, Leola White worked on the assembly line at the | ||||||
11 | Young Spring & Wire Company for 31 years; she also sold Avon; | ||||||
12 | and
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13 | WHEREAS, Leola White maintained her ties to Natchez and | ||||||
14 | drove down South a few times a year to visit family, often | ||||||
15 | taking young relatives along for the ride; and
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16 | WHEREAS, Over the decades, Leola White's house in Chicago | ||||||
17 | served as the first stop for many people, including her sister, | ||||||
18 | three brothers, and hundreds of others, as they journeyed north | ||||||
19 | from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, | ||||||
20 | and Tennessee in search of a better life; they were offered a | ||||||
21 | spot on her sofa or spare bed until they saved enough money for |
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1 | a place of their own; and
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2 | WHEREAS, Leola White was the oldest living member of the | ||||||
3 | First Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church, which she joined in | ||||||
4 | 1946; she was President of the Missionary Society for over 47 | ||||||
5 | years; she donated all of the money she made selling Avon to | ||||||
6 | the church; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Leola White was a resplendent dresser, especially | ||||||
8 | on Sundays; her outfits matched from head to toe, and she | ||||||
9 | accessorized with different hats; she loved the color purple | ||||||
10 | and gospel music, and enjoyed watching the Chicago Bulls, | ||||||
11 | turning to prayer when necessary to help the team; and
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12 | WHEREAS, Leola White was the matriarch of her family and | ||||||
13 | church; she leaves for her community, and especially for her | ||||||
14 | daughter Ann Anderson and her granddaughter Jacquie Algee, an | ||||||
15 | inspirational legacy of a life led with dignity and a focus on | ||||||
16 | helping others; therefore, be it
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17 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL | ||||||
18 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
19 | Leola Williams Robinson White and extend our sincere | ||||||
20 | condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved | ||||||
21 | her; and be it further
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1 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
2 | presented to the family of Leola White as an expression of our | ||||||
3 | deepest sympathy.
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