SR0197 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0197 LRB101 11488 ALS 57248 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Bernadine Evans Stake of Urbana, who passed away on February 23, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Bernadine Stake was born on a farm near Lindy, Nebraska to Burt and Ida Haug Evans on April 29, 1926; she graduated from the University of Nebraska and also earned her master's degree and her doctorate in education from the University of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Bernadine Stake began her career as a teacher in a one-room country school house; she then taught elementary students in San Diego and later taught science education to elementary teachers; she was the principal evaluator of PLATO computer elementary mathematics education for the Educational Testing Service; she also evaluated the National Sex Equity Demonstration Project based in Broward County, Florida for the National Science Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Bernadine Stake served on the Equal Rights Committee of the American Educational Research Association; she was also active in the Urbana community and served on the Urbana City Council and the Planning Commission; she was the Democratic precinct committee chairwoman for the 10th Precinct, 4th Ward for many decades; and

WHEREAS, Bernadine Stake was an active leader in local government; she promoted a progressive agenda that included the passage of a Human Rights Ordinance in 1975, the first in the state and one of the first in the nation to acknowledge LGBTQ rights; she introduced and shepherded the passage of a Fair Housing Law for the City of Urbana to thwart redlining, and she introduced a resolution putting Urbana on record opposing the war in Vietnam; she also promoted tenant safety with an ordinance requiring deadbolts on all exterior doors of apartments; she advocated for protecting the environment in many ways, including residential collection of recyclable materials, which passed in 1986; she was appointed to the Urbana Planning Commission in 1995 and served for almost 20 years; and

WHEREAS, Bernadine Stake and her husband Bob attended and supported the Unitarian Universalist Church, starting in Lincoln, Nebraska, and then the Green Street church in Urbana; they also attended Camp Unistar in Minnesota for many years; she twice served as president of the board for the Channing Murray Foundation, the campus affiliate of the church; and

WHEREAS, Bernadine Stake's foundation was her family and all were welcome in her home; she inspired women to pursue political leadership, campaigned tirelessly for other women pursuing careers in government, and fought for fairness and justice for all in every way she could; she was not afraid to challenge the status quo; she will be remembered as an energetic, spirited, and loving woman, who was beloved for her fighting spirit, optimism, and caring nature; and

WHEREAS, Bernadine Stake was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Bert Merlin Evans; and her sister, Pauline Evans Lemke; and

WHEREAS, Bernadine Stake is survived by her husband of 67 years, Robert Stake; her children, Jeffrey (Janet) Stake, Benjamin (Nitaya) Stake, Sara (Mark Joselyn) Stake, and Jacob (Kim Knutson) Stake; her grandchildren, Christopher, Laura, Alison, Walker, and Constantine Stake and Ben, Sam, and Nellie Joselyn; her great-grandson, Maceo Jean-Pierre; her great-granddaughter, Sloane Craig-Stake; her brother, Kenneth (Marilynn) Evans; and her sisters, Enid Kollars and Claryce Lee Evans; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Bernadine Evans Stake and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Bernadine Stake as an expression of our deepest sympathy.