093_HR0208
LRB093 11475 HSS 14565 r
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of
3 the State of Illinois were saddened to learn of the death of
4 Mary Dorothy "Bambi Jackson" Smith on Sunday, March 23, 2003;
5 and
6 WHEREAS, Ms. Smith was born on December 5, 1934 in
7 Chicago to Clifton and Lillie Jackson; she met and married
8 Kenneth Smith at her alma mater, DuSable High School; she
9 also attended George Williams and Kennedy-King College, where
10 she received her Associate Degree in preschool education; and
11 WHEREAS, Ms. Smith first began performing on the stage at
12 the world famous "Club Delisa", where she adopted her stage
13 name, Bambi Jackson; she worked there as a regular under the
14 strict guidance of Sammy Dyer; she joined Yolanda Johnson
15 Productions and traveled through Florida and on to Nassau,
16 where she learned the calypso dance, voodoo chants, flaming
17 limbo, and other fire dances, which she became famous for
18 performing worldwide; and
19 WHEREAS, Throughout her stage career, Ms. Smith performed
20 for and with the best of the best performers and musicians
21 including Nat King Cole, Harry Belafonte, Paul Anka, Count
22 Basie, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Jerry "Iceman" Butler, Brook
23 Benton, Ben E. King, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Jackie Wilson, and
24 Richard Pryor; she performed for President John F. Kennedy
25 and British Prime Minister Harold McMillan; and
26 WHEREAS, Ms. Smith was honored by author Dempsey J.
27 Travis when he included her in his bestseller "An
28 Autobiography of Black Jazz"; and
29 WHEREAS, Ms. Smith returned to Chicago and began working
30 in the Chicago Park District; she was a volunteer dance
31 instructor for children and adults at Washington Park; she
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1 rose through the system after implementing new programs such
2 as the yoga and dance programs which were extremely popular
3 with park patrons of all social backgrounds; she became a
4 supervisor and was a leader by example, providing guidance,
5 knowledge, and support to the development of Park District
6 employees; she made people believe in themselves and strive
7 for the best in everything they did; and
8 WHEREAS, The passing of Ms. Smith has been deeply felt by
9 many, especially her daughter, Tanya Maria; her son, Kenneth,
10 Jr.; her sister, Cordelia James; her granddaughter, Nisha
11 Clark; her nieces, Bernadine, Bernadette, and Sheila; her
12 nephews, Robert and Lewis; her great-nieces, Alisha and
13 Francie; and her great-nephews, Vincent and David; in
14 addition, her loss has been felt by Uncle Jacques, Aunt
15 LaVerne and Aunt LeVora (Lee), Darlene McGhee, Godson Ricardo
16 Barland, and a host of other family members and friends;
17 therefore, be it
18 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
19 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
20 we mourn the passing of Mary Dorothy "Bambi Jackson" Smith
21 and extend to her family and friends our deepest sympathy;
22 and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
24 presented to the family of Mary Dorothy "Bambi Jackson" Smith
25 as an expression of our sincere condolences.