093_SR0115
LRB093 11489 KEF 14742 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 Mamie
4 Elizabeth Till-Mobley on January 6, 2003; and
5 WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley was born on November 23, 1921
6 in Hazelhurst, Mississippi to the union of Nash and Alma
7 Smith-Carthan; and
8 WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley completed elementary and high
9 school, graduating from Argo Community High School in 1940;
10 accepting Christ as her personal Savior at an early age, she
11 was baptized by Elder Goodwin at Argo Temple Church of God in
12 Christ; and
13 WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley married Emmett Louis Till and
14 to this union one son, Emmett Till, Jr. was born; and
15 WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley later relocated to Chicago
16 where she met and married Gennie Mobley, Jr., with whom she
17 shared two step-daughters, Lillian Gene Jackson and Yvonne
18 Wright; in addition, she was blessed with two god-daughters,
19 Ollie and Airicka Gordon; and three godsons, Abriel Thomas,
20 Kailonn W. Thomas Sr., and Shafter Gordon; and
21 WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley's employment spanned over a
22 period of forty-five years; her years of work include the
23 following: from 1936-1941, she was a domestic worker; from
24 1941-1943, she was employed by the Coffey School of
25 Aeronautics (Cornelius and Willa Brown, owners); and from
26 1943-1956, she was employed by the federal government; and
27 WHEREAS, At age 33, she entered Chicago Teachers College,
28 received a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education in 3 1/2
29 years, and graduated Cum Laude; her thirst for education
30 continued and she attended graduate school, earning a
31 Master's Degree in Administration and Supervision at Loyola
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1 University; she worked as teacher for the Chicago Public
2 Schools (Carter, and McCosh Scanlon) for 26 years; and
3 WHEREAS, Christianity and the church were a staple in her
4 life; she attended Corinthian Temple and Robert's Temple
5 COGIC, and in 1973 united with the Evangelistic Crusaders as
6 one of the founding seven members; she served faithfully
7 under the pastorate of Elder George Liggins; although her
8 appointment to Church Mother excited her the most, she was
9 the first church secretary; in addition, she served in the
10 following capacities: President of the Secretarial and
11 Broadcast Staff, Adult Sunday School Teacher, Missionary, and
12 Notary Public; she was also a Charter member of the Board of
13 Directors; and she was active in all of Crusaders
14 child-related programs which includes Founder and Director of
15 the "Emmett Till Players"; and
16 WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley trained over three generations
17 of children renewing their interests in academics and
18 inspiring their sense of self-worth; she traveled throughout
19 the United States speaking about the Civil Rights struggle
20 and urging her listeners to be the best they can; and
21 WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley's passing will be deeply felt
22 by many, especially her step-daughters, Lillian Gene Jackson
23 and Yvonne Wright (Ron); her god-daughters, Ollie and Airicka
24 Gordon; her brothers-in-law, Rev. Wealthy (Euphemia) Mobley,
25 Vernon Brown Hosea Mobley, and Leroy (Liz) Randall; her
26 cousins, Crosby (Janie) Smith, Sally Rollins, Abriel Thomas,
27 and Shafter Gordon; her six grandchildren; her ten
28 great-grandchildren; and a host of cousins, god-children, and
29 friends; and
30 WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley was preceded in death by her
31 first husband, Emmett Louis Till; her second husband, Gennie
32 Mobley, Jr.; her son, Emmett Till, Jr.; and one godson,
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1 Kailonn W. Thomas Sr.; therefore, be it
2 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
3 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of
4 Mamie Elizabeth Till-Mobley along with all who knew and loved
5 her and extend our sincere condolences to her family,
6 friends, and community; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to the family of Mamie Elizabeth Till-Mobley with
9 our deepest sympathy.