SR0484 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0484 LRB103 34319 LAW 64148 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of William Hardy McAdams Jr. of Moline, who passed away on September 5, 2023; and

WHEREAS, William McAdams was born to William Hardy Sr. and Helen M. (Davis) McAdams in Moline on October 7, 1928; he committed to his faith at an early age and was baptized at Tabernacle Baptist Church; he attended Garfield Elementary School and John Deere Junior High School; he received the American Legion Award in 1943; he graduated from Moline High School in 1947, where he was president student mayor and a member of the Civic and Letterman's Club and participated in football, track, and basketball; he attended the University of Iowa, where he was polemarch, or president, of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Gamma Chapter; he left school to serve in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in France and Germany; he later returned to and graduated from the University of Iowa; he married Charlotte Ann Nabors in 1952; and

WHEREAS, After his military service, William McAdams worked at John Deere and the U.S. Post Office and held various jobs until he became a foreman at International Harvester (IH) in East Moline, where he retired after 25 years; he then worked as a correctional officer at Seventh District Department of Corrections in Davenport, Iowa for 10 years; and

WHEREAS, William McAdams was a member of the Rock Island County Historical Society and the Rock Island Martin Luther King Center's Active Club; in 2023, his story was published in a book of memoirs collected by Judge John O'Shea titled Memories of The Great Depression: A Time Remembered; he also compiled the books called Death Index: African Americans and Others in the Rock Island, Illinois area, also known as The Red Books; and

WHEREAS, William McAdams enjoyed playing the piano, listening to classical music, and gathering with his friends at the Dead Poet's Espresso coffee house in Moline; he also enjoyed going to the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa in late April; in mid-May, he took his wife and daughters to the IHSA Girls Track & Field State Finals at Eastern Illinois University, where Charlotte would officiate the track and field events and his daughters would participate; he loved spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and making his famous pancakes for the family; and

WHEREAS, William McAdams, affectionately known as "Mac", was an avid reader, a historian, an Iowa Hawkeyes fan, and a photographer; he will be remembered as a loyal husband and a great father and grandfather; and

WHEREAS, William McAdams was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Charlotte; his parents; his grandchildren, Erica Lynn McAdams and Mykael Jamal Harrison; his son-in-law, Kearney Walker; his brother-in-law, Joe Allen; and his sister-in-law, Rev. Juanita McAdams; and

WHEREAS, William McAdams is survived by his children, Rochelle (Mark) Thornton, Valerie (Rev. Dr. David) Jarrett, Charlotte (Donald) Harrison, Frances (Royal) Foreman, Katherine McAdams, Stacey McAdams, Kenny (Michelle) McAdams, Adrienne Walker, Lesley McAdams, and Kelley (Aubrey) Clay; his siblings, Rev. David McAdams and Helen Allen; his cousins, Gilbert Davis and Elaine Chisholm; his brother-in-law, Robert Davis; his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of William Hardy McAdams Jr. and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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