093_SR0080
LRB093 11248 KEF 12603 r
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of
3 Illinois were saddened to learn of the death of Rose Gaston
4 of Zion; and
5 WHEREAS, Mrs. Gaston was the seventh daughter of eleven
6 children; she graduated from Hines County Agricultural High
7 School in Utica, Mississippi and subsequently moved north to
8 Chicago to continue her education; and
9 WHEREAS, In 1957, she married Bennie James Gaston
10 (Reverend B.J. Gaston) and Milwaukee, Wisconsin became their
11 home; by the late 1960s, she secured a position with the
12 State of Wisconsin as an assistant to the Social Worker in
13 the Milwaukee Public School System; her position with the
14 Department of Public Instruction required that she make
15 recommendation for families of students who had special needs
16 and required professional help; in some cases, she was
17 expected to make home visits of students who had special
18 problems with truancy; she stayed current with the Department
19 of Public Instruction's laws, policies, procedures, and
20 regulations by attending classes at night, participating in
21 workshops out of state during the weekends, and attending
22 staff meetings during the day; she had many certifications of
23 completion related to Family/Child Psychology and Parental
24 Involvement; she maintained this work pace for sixteen years;
25 and
26 WHEREAS, Mrs. Gaston had many years of Christian
27 experience as an individual and a pastor's wife; she served
28 for 28 years as a treasurer of Mt. Zion Baptist Church Usher
29 Board, and she was a loyal member of Mt. Zion for 34 years;
30 because of her love for helping people, in 1971, she
31 willingly assisted in providing funds for the construction of
32 the church which is currently Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist
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1 Church of Zion; and
2 WHEREAS, Mrs. Gaston has served in many roles; she was a
3 woman of pioneer status whose charm and bright smile could
4 cast sunlight on the faces of the people she embraced; her
5 monumental status as a wife, advisor, counselor, friend, and
6 philanthropist stood as a pillar for 34 years; and
7 WHEREAS, Mrs. Gaston's passing will be deeply felt by
8 many, especially her husband, Reverend B.J. Gaston; her
9 sisters, Atha Mae Gaston, Alma Hamilton, Sally Ann Kemp,
10 Velma Paige, and Elma King; her three brothers, John Broome,
11 Cleveland Broome, and Eugene Broome; and their respective
12 families; therefore, be it
13 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
14 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of
15 Rose Gaston along with all who knew and loved her and extend
16 our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and
17 community; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19 presented to the family of Rose Gaston as an expression of
20 our deepest sympathy.