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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Ingrid Surette (Cravens) Smith of
4Decatur, who passed away on March 22, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith was born in Chicago to Charity and
6Hancy Cravens on September 29, 1948; she moved to Decatur with
7her parents when she was a toddler; she attended Durfee
8Elementary School and Woodrow Wilson Junior High School and
9graduated from Douglas MacArthur High School in 1966; she
10continued her academic pursuits at the University of Illinois
11in Champaign-Urbana; in May of 1988, she received her Bachelor
12of Arts in Management from Sangamon State University, now the
13University of Illinois-Springfield; she married Walter E.
14Smith Sr. in November 1992; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith worked at Archer Daniels Midland
16Company (ADM) for 42 years; her roles included sales,
17marketing, transportation and logistics, and project
18management; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith was driven by a passion that demanded
20equity and inclusion for individuals affected by social,
21economic, health, and racial disparities; she led and actively
22participated in organizations that supported the goal of

 

 

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1improving the quality of life for several city, state, and
2national victims of inequity; she was a volunteer, an activist,
3and a thoughtful leader who wanted people to march beside her
4not behind her; these characteristics led her to make Decatur
5feel like home for natives and newcomers; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith served in leadership roles on many
7boards, including as a past president of the Decatur Chapter of
8the NAACP, a past president of the Springfield-Decatur Chapter
9of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a vice chairperson of the
10Finance Committee and Trustees for St. Peter's A.M.E. Church,
11first Vice President and Parliamentarian of the Illinois
12Conference Women's Missionary Society, and the first black
13female member of the National Honor Scholarship Society; she
14was also a member of the Decatur Human Relations Commission,
15the Women's Golf Association, and the Metro Black Chamber of
16Commerce; in recent years, she was a trained domestic violence
17advocate at DOVE, Inc.; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith was generous with her knowledge, her
19time, and her talents; she loved her family; she was a
20confidant, friend, mentor, advocate, and coach to many; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith is survived by her husband, Walter E.
22Smith Sr.; her daughter, Bridget (James) Cravens-Neely; her
23sister, Kim Cravens Nicholson; her brothers, Bobby Cravens and

 

 

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1Chris Cravens; her nephews, Zachary (Kiana) Cravens and Dexter
2Cravens; her great-niece, Aiden; her stepchildren, Dana Hosea,
3Gerrett Smith, and Walter E. (Alicia) Smith Jr; her
4grandchildren, James Jr., Julian, Jaden, ShaQuan, Maresa,
5Shakur, Jakobie, Rylei, Alyasha, Mikiah, and Joliyah; her
6great-grandson, Davion; her brothers-in-law and
7sisters-in-law; and her many nieces, nephews, and close family
8friends; therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
10ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
11Ingrid Surette (Cravens) Smith and extend our sincere
12condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved
13her; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the family of Ingrid Smith as an expression of our
16deepest sympathy.