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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
3 | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Frances | ||||||
4 | Louise (nee Cain) Walker, who passed away on April 10, 2014; | ||||||
5 | and
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6 | WHEREAS, Frances Walker was born on June 9, 1929 in Athens, | ||||||
7 | Alabama to James Cain and Sallie Mae (nee Sandifer) Cain; she | ||||||
8 | attended schools in Alabama and Rockford and married Era Walker | ||||||
9 | in 1948; and
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10 | WHEREAS, Frances Walker worked at the former Illinois Bell | ||||||
11 | telephone company for 15 years; she
was also an independent | ||||||
12 | beauty consultant for Mary Kay Cosmetics, and
worked as a | ||||||
13 | medical assistant to Dr. Fonvielle, Dr. Roberts, and Dr. | ||||||
14 | Jackson; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Frances Walker was a devoted member of Allen | ||||||
16 | Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
since 1949; and
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17 | WHEREAS, Frances Walker was a tireless advocate for youth; | ||||||
18 | she mentored,
taught, and encouraged hundreds of youth | ||||||
19 | throughout her life for a
number of faith and community-based | ||||||
20 | organizations; she helped sponsor youth for a trip around the | ||||||
21 | world; and |
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1 | WHEREAS, Frances Walker was well-known for her community | ||||||
2 | work with the
National Council for Negro Women, assisting in | ||||||
3 | local efforts to
increase African-American participation in | ||||||
4 | the United States Census and voting; she
worked diligently in | ||||||
5 | helping to coordinate the Annual Black Family Reunion
and | ||||||
6 | promoted efforts to help women become self-sufficient; she was | ||||||
7 | a founding board member of the Hunger Coalition with
her | ||||||
8 | efforts resulting in raising tens of thousands of dollars to | ||||||
9 | help alleviate
hunger in Rockford and its vicinity; and | ||||||
10 | WHEREAS, The Frances Walker Scholarship Fund has been | ||||||
11 | established with the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois | ||||||
12 | in her honor; and | ||||||
13 | WHEREAS, Frances Walker was preceded in death by her | ||||||
14 | husband of 61 years, Era Walker; her parents; her sister, | ||||||
15 | Lillye (Cain)
Saulters; her son, Cyrus Walker; and her | ||||||
16 | son-in-law, Robert Cook; and
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17 | WHEREAS, Frances Walker is survived by her children, Otis | ||||||
18 | Walker, Ardis (Robert) Cook, and Elizabeth (The Rev. Larry)
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19 | Smith; grandchildren, Tiana (Kristophere') Owens, Marisha | ||||||
20 | (Robin) Harris, M.D., and Elyssa,
Lauren, and Erin Smith; | ||||||
21 | great-granddaughters, Madison
Owens and Olivia Harris; and
by | ||||||
22 | many nieces, nephews, cousins, god-children, and friends; |
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1 | therefore, be it
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2 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
3 | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
4 | we mourn the passing of Frances Louise Walker, and extend our | ||||||
5 | sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew | ||||||
6 | and loved her; and be it further
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7 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
8 | presented to the family of Frances Walker as an expression of | ||||||
9 | our deepest sympathy.
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