SR0510 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0510 LRB093 21951 HSS 50159 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Miriam Brooks-Sumlin on April 3, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Miriam Brooks-Sumlin was born on January 22, 1934, in Chicago; she attended School Elementary in Morgan Park; as a teenager, her family moved to New York, where she subsequently attended New York University and married Stanley James Sumlin, a law school student; and

WHEREAS, After working for the United Nations, Miriam and her family moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where she worked for Jommo Kenyatta's international staff on behalf of visiting dignitaries; some years later, she returned to Chicago and obtained a degree from Chicago Teachers College (Chicago State University); and

WHEREAS, She taught for many years at Drake Elementary School, where she worked with children with special needs; after finishing her master's degree in administrative education from the University of Minnesota, her career included a move to the Gifted Programs Office of the Chicago Board of Education, where she was responsible for coordinating testing facilities and teacher preparation for gifted children throughout the City of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Sumlin spent much of her life teaching and administering policies that enriched the educational life of a broad range of children, from the mentally handicapped to the gifted; she raised her children and countless others who had the opportunity to sit at her "Sunday Table"; she was known for her pineapple upside down cake as well as her love, nurturing nature, and her concern; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Miriam Brooks-Sumlin has been deeply felt by many, especially her daughter, Sheryl; her son, Bruce; her grandchildren, Shawn, Jasmine, Annanda, Kristian, Julian, and Robert; her great-grandchildren, Matthew, Anthony, and Steven; her family members, Michelle, Maryjane, Max, John, Ione, Marsha, Kyle, Linda, Rael, Lorraine, Royce, Royce Jr. "Snooky", Karyn, Elaine, Noel, Patrick, Lester, Fitz, Gina, Thomas, Veranda, John, Celene, Dorothy, Ferdinand, Joan, Renald, Todd, Lynn, Ben, Seth, Joyce, Al, Eric, Beth, Ora, Vincent, Carol, and Smitty; and all the wonderful children and friends, especially most recently those from The Church of the Hills; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Miriam Brooks-Sumlin, and we extend our deepest sympathy to her family, friends, former students, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Miriam Brooks-Sumlin as an expression of our sincere condolences.