093_HR0198

                                     LRB093 11332 HSS 13394 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members of the House of  Representatives  of
 3    the  State  of  Illinois wish to congratulate Hazel Taborn on
 4    the occasion of her retirement as Minister of Music at  Union
 5    Baptist Church in Springfield on March 1, 2003; and

 6        WHEREAS,  Mrs.  Taborn was born on March 4, 1927 to Jacob
 7    A. and Auline R. Toney; she began studying music when she was
 8    eight years old, taking piano and voice lessons; she attended
 9    Bunn Grade School; and

10        WHEREAS, Mrs. Taborn joined Union Baptist Church when she
11    was twelve; she accompanied the Junior Choir and  often  sang
12    solos for the church; and

13        WHEREAS,  Mrs.  Taborn  attended  Lanphier High School in
14    Springfield; she was a soloist for the A  Capella  Choir  and
15    Girls'  Ensemble;  she  was  an  A  student and was the first
16    African-American girl to graduate from Lanphier High  School;
17    and

18        WHEREAS,  Following  high school, Mrs. Taborn enrolled in
19    the Ursuline Academy of Music; she graduated and went  on  to
20    Milikin  University  School of Music where she studied voice,
21    piano, and organ; and

22        WHEREAS, Mrs. Taborn continued to  play  for  the  Junior
23    Choir  and became the organist for the gospel choir under the
24    direction of Mrs. Ruby Harveston,  Minister  of  Music;  when
25    Mrs.  Harveston  retired, Mrs. Taborn became the new Minister
26    of Music; she served  as  Minister  of  Music  for  seventeen
27    years; therefore, be it

28        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
29    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
30    we congratulate Mrs. Hazel Marie Toney Taborn on the occasion
31    of  her  retirement  as  Minister  of  Music at Union Baptist
 
                            -2-      LRB093 11332 HSS 13394 r
 1    Church after seventeen years of service, and we  commend  her
 2    for  her  faithfulness  and devotion to her church; and be it
 3    further

 4        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
 5    presented  to Mrs. Hazel Taborn as a token of our respect and
 6    esteem and with best  wishes  for  a  peaceful  and  relaxing
 7    retirement.