| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | ||||||
3 | to learn of the death of Dr. Gerald L. Clay, who passed away on | ||||||
4 | November 4, 2022 at the age of 81; and
| ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay served in both the United States | ||||||
6 | Army and Navy, where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant | ||||||
7 | Commander; and
| ||||||
8 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay was a longtime resident of Oak | ||||||
9 | Park and an active and visionary member and leader of the Oak | ||||||
10 | Park community, participating in numerous Oak Park civic and | ||||||
11 | community organizations; and
| ||||||
12 | WHEREAS, In 1988, Dr. Gerald Clay joined with fellow | ||||||
13 | Longfellow Elementary School parents to found African-American | ||||||
14 | Parents for Purposeful Leadership in Education (APPLE), and to | ||||||
15 | this day, APPLE advocates for students of color with a focus on | ||||||
16 | the African-American student experience, equity and fairness, | ||||||
17 | and support for scholarships; and
| ||||||
18 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay also helped create Rites of | ||||||
19 | Passage to support young black men growing into manhood, and | ||||||
20 | participants have credited this ceremony as a meaningful | ||||||
21 | turning point in their lives; and
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay co-founded Black-White Dialogues | ||||||
2 | with fellow Oak Parker Lanny Lutz to provide community members | ||||||
3 | with the opportunity to gather and discuss racial issues; and
| ||||||
4 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay was among the first to volunteer | ||||||
5 | his support for then candidate Don Harmon for State Senate; he | ||||||
6 | continued to serve as an advisor and mentor to Senator Harmon | ||||||
7 | and served as chair of the 39th District Scholarship Selection | ||||||
8 | Committee; and
| ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay established the Gerald L. Clay | ||||||
10 | Scholarship, a merit and needs-based fund to help | ||||||
11 | African-American male students at Oak Park River Forest High | ||||||
12 | School to pursue their academic goals and dreams; and
| ||||||
13 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay is survived by his wife of 58 | ||||||
14 | years, Retired Judge Evelyn Brown Clay; his daughter, | ||||||
15 | Tracy-Elizabeth Clay; his son, Dr. Lamont G. Clay; and his | ||||||
16 | three grandchildren, Hannah, Isaac, and Harper; therefore, be | ||||||
17 | it
| ||||||
18 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL | ||||||
19 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
20 | Dr. Gerald L. Clay and extend our sincere condolences to his | ||||||
21 | family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | further
| ||||||
2 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
3 | presented to the family of Dr. Gerald L. Clay as an expression | ||||||
4 | of our deepest gratitude and sympathy.
|