HR0956 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0956 LRB102 29164 ECR 41108 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Pastor Gicele "Gigi" Wray-Lindley, who passed away on October 1, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Wray-Lindley was born to Esteban and Isabel Wray in Colon, Panama on May 28, 1976; as a child, she attended The Church of Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, where she started singing solos by age seven; by age nine, she started leading praise and worship on Sunday mornings; by age 13, she served as the choir director and youth leader; at the age of 14, she was a lead soloist in her high school choir; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Wray-Lindley was ordained as an Evangelist when she was 23; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Wray-Lindley earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Early Childhood Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago; she completed her master's degree in Human Services Administration and most recently completed a master's degree in Nonprofit Management and Organizational Leadership; at the time of her passing, she was pursuing her Doctorate of Education in Ethical Leadership; and

WHEREAS, In 2004, Pastor Wray-Lindley founded Shining Star Youth and Community Services and Shining Star Early Learning Centers to provide early literacy and family support to children; under her leadership as CEO, her creation became a successful multi-center, bilingual child care operation, which provides quality early learning to 407 children and employs over 100 people today; and

WHEREAS, In 2014, Pastor Wray-Lindley, along with her family, founded The Wray Family Foundation to improve the lives of aspiring community service leaders in need of mentoring and financial support while pursuing formal education; and

WHEREAS, In 2015, Pastor Wray-Lindley co-founded Child Care Advocates United, a non-profit professional organization for child care providers and early childhood educators in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Wray-Lindley and her husband, Omar Lindley, ministered in several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, Peru, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, and Argentina; they also traveled and ministered in Brazil, on the African Continent, and in several U.S. states; in 2017, they launched the bilingual ministry Transformation Church International; and

WHEREAS, In 2020, Pastor Wray-Lindley founded Auntie Gigi's to develop a generation of transformative leaders while bridging the gap between ministry and the marketplace; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Wray-Lindley helped her daughter, Serenity, start an anti-labeling initiative by launching a publishing company, and the company's first published book was entitled, Stop Calling Me Bossy; and

WHEREAS, Pastor Wray-Lindley is survived by her husband and her two daughters, Serenity Blessing and Heavenly Blessing; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Pastor Gicele "Gigi" Wray-Lindley 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 Pastor Wray-Lindley as an expression of our deepest sympathy.