SR0699 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0699 LRB104 21306 MST 36119 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Warren Bell Cooper Jr., who passed away on January 10, 2026; and

WHEREAS, Warren Cooper was born in Chicago to Warren Bell Cooper Sr. and Sylvia Irene Rimmer in 1953; he grew up working in his father's construction company and attended Arizona State University on a football scholarship, where he received his undergraduate degree in business administration and completed work towards a master's degree in the same subject; he attended the Saint Louis University School of Law from 1976 to 1978; and

WHEREAS, Warren Cooper joined the Federal Aviation Administration as an air traffic control specialist at O'Hare International Airport in 1980, the first African American controller certified for O'Hare; he served as an air traffic control specialist from 1980 to 1983 and then as an air traffic control supervisor from 1983 to 1992, earning the FAA's Exceptional Employee Award; and

WHEREAS, Warren Cooper founded ACCU-Lab Medical Testing, Inc. in 1993, establishing the nation's first and only wholly Black-owned forensic drug testing laboratory, which he built into a nationally respected provider of forensic drug testing services and was the preferred provider of forensic drug testing for the Cook County Adult Probation program for many years; he operated ACCU-Lab until 2019 when he closed the laboratory and devoted himself to his condominium association board that he served since 2011 as a director and later as vice president; his sharp business and financial acumen earned him the nickname "Mr. 1700" because his oversight and careful review of board-proposed purchases saved owners hundreds of thousands of dollars; and

WHEREAS, Warren Cooper was a vocal crusader for educating individuals on drug testing laws; he frequently consulted on drug testing issues and co-authored a chapter on measuring marijuana's effects that is included in the Colorado, Michigan, and Wisconsin editions of Medicolegal Aspects of Marijuana; he testified before Congress about federal guidelines that effectively barred minority-owned laboratories from obtaining SAMHSA certification required by DOT-regulated industries; and

WHEREAS, Warren Cooper's interests covered a variety of sports and civic activities; he was an early participant in Real Men Cook, which began as a fundraiser for South Side YMCA; some of his passions included horse racing, golf, travel, baking, and remaining abreast of political goings; he counted among his many friends a governor, state and county legislators, an attorney general, a former president, and business leaders across the country; he owned and raced two horses, Ms. PreNup and Dunkerd I.D.; an avid golfer, he played on courses across the Caribbean and was especially fond of St. Kitts, where he had planned to retire; he scored a hole in one in 2016; Las Vegas was a favorite domestic destination; he was a long-time member of Destined to Win Christian Ministries Church, where he served as treasurer; and

WHEREAS, Warren Cooper's public service earned recognition, including selection to Who's Who in Executives and Professionals, the Ground Breaker Award from the Cosmopolitan Chamber of Commerce, a Minority Business Opportunity Council Appreciation Award, and the Minority New Innovative Business Award from Minority Enterprise Development; his advocacy on behalf of consumers won him an award for Distinguished Humanitarian Effort from the Midwest Community Council; and

WHEREAS, Warren Cooper was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather, Henry Burks; and his two brothers, Dr. Lavont Cooper and Ronald Burks; and

WHEREAS, Warren Cooper is survived by his wife, Vickie Holmes Cooper; his mother, Sylvia Burks; his sister, Deborah Cooper; Vickie's children, Nicholas (Latonya) Holmes, Clarence (Bernadette) Pullins, and Naomi (Kenielle) Pullins, Grands Nicholas Holmes Jr., Nashawn Holmes, Tacarl and Taliyah Jackson, Amani and Amina Washington, and Brooklyn Pullins; his uncle, Hubert Burks; his cousins, Gaidi, Beano, Phillip, Peter, and Angela Burks, Marvin and Barry Robinson, David, Laurie, and Karen Housma, Sheila and Robert Ciralsky, Joshua and Jonah Cooper, and David and Daniel Ross; his sisters-in-law, Darlette McAlpin, Jamelle (Kyron) St. Clair, Tracye (Francis) Fofie, Nadia Campbell, and Linda Hudson; Jerry (Angela) Fletcher Holmes Jr.; and his best friends and golfing buddies, Nicholas Lammers, Al Randall, and Joe Banks; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Warren Bell Cooper 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 Warren Cooper as a symbol of our respect and esteem.