| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | ||||||
| 3 | to learn of the death of David Michael Milliner, who passed | ||||||
| 4 | away on January 1, 2024; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, David Milliner was born to Rose Marie Von Liggett | ||||||
| 6 | in Chicago on February 6, 1957; after his mother's passing, he | ||||||
| 7 | was raised by his aunts, Christina Von Liggett and Aileen Von | ||||||
| 8 | Liggett, and his grandmother, Maida Von Liggett; as a | ||||||
| 9 | teenager, he worked as a copyboy and photo filer for the | ||||||
| 10 | Chicago Defender; he graduated from Kenwood High School in | ||||||
| 11 | 1975; he received his Bachelor of Arts in Magazine Journalism | ||||||
| 12 | from Drake University in 1979, where he became a member of | ||||||
| 13 | Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in 1977; he married Jondelle | ||||||
| 14 | Jenkins, D.P.M. in 1989; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, David Milliner founded and was CEO of DMMIWorld | ||||||
| 16 | Communications for 35 years; his career involved marketing, | ||||||
| 17 | including a memorable stint with Prince for two of the | ||||||
| 18 | musician's world tours, and maintaining a close relationship | ||||||
| 19 | with the Chicago Defender (the Defender); in the early 2000s, | ||||||
| 20 | he and a group of investors acquired the Defender along with | ||||||
| 21 | other publications, and he served as editor and publisher of | ||||||
| 22 | the newspaper from January 2003 to March 2004; and | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | WHEREAS, David Milliner was instrumental in the | ||||||
| 2 | revitalization of the Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago, bringing | ||||||
| 3 | television camera crews and then-rising-star Oprah Winfrey to | ||||||
| 4 | the parade, which put the national spotlight back on the | ||||||
| 5 | event; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, David Milliner was an active member of Corpus | ||||||
| 7 | Christi Catholic Church until its closing in 2021; he remained | ||||||
| 8 | a passionate and tireless member of Alpha Phi Alpha | ||||||
| 9 | Fraternity, Inc., and he was an active member of the Theta Mu | ||||||
| 10 | Lambda Charitable Foundation; he was a staple of the | ||||||
| 11 | Defender's Men and Women of Excellence events; and | ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, David Milliner was a strong proponent of | ||||||
| 13 | podiatric medicine throughout his life; a proud Chicagoan and | ||||||
| 14 | Southsider, he was a fan of both the Chicago White Sox and the | ||||||
| 15 | Chicago Cubs; he enjoyed partaking in long chats with friends, | ||||||
| 16 | watching and attending sports games, and viewing and listening | ||||||
| 17 | to an assortment of films, shows, and music; and | ||||||
| 18 | WHEREAS, David Milliner was a proud husband and father who | ||||||
| 19 | was known for his uncanny ability to understand anyone he met; | ||||||
| 20 | he will be remembered as a beacon of determination, | ||||||
| 21 | selflessness, and brotherhood; and | ||||||
| 22 | WHEREAS, David Milliner is survived by his wife of 34 | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | years, Dr. Jondelle Jenkins; his daughter, Francesca Milliner; | ||||||
| 2 | his son-in-law, Jayneal Jimenez; five siblings; two aunts; and | ||||||
| 3 | many family and friends; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 4 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | ||||||
| 5 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
| 6 | David Michael Milliner and extend our sincere condolences to | ||||||
| 7 | his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | ||||||
| 8 | further | ||||||
| 9 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 10 | presented to the family of David Milliner as an expression of | ||||||
| 11 | our deepest sympathy. | ||||||