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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 
3learn of the death of John Howard Hudson Sr. of Chicago, who 
4passed away on August 21, 2016; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, John Hudson Sr. was born in Chicago to Percy and 
6Marie Hudson; he attended Carter Elementary School, Englewood 
7High School, and Cortez Peters Business College; and
 
8    WHEREAS, John Hudson Sr. sold insurance in Chatham for 
9American General; he also sold shoes at Robson's, where he 
10outfitted singers, including Lou Rawls and singer-Chicago 
11Defender journalist, Earl Calloway; he also provided shoes for 
12Tabernacle
soloist, Doris Sykes, and her entire choir; he sold 
13shoes to stars who would
wander over from the Regal Theater, 
14including comic Redd Foxx; and
 
15    WHEREAS, John Hudson Sr. and his wife operated the Hudson 
16Funeral Home; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, John Hudson Sr. was minister of music at Pleasant 
18Gift Missionary Baptist Church for over 40 years, which was 
19founded by his Mississippi family and became a destination for 
20African Americans moving to Chicago from the south; Pleasant 
21Gift launched the
careers of his cousin, actress-singer 
 
 
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1Jennifer Hudson, and his nieces, the Nichols Sisters; another 
2relative started the Canton Spirituals gospel quartet; and
 
3    WHEREAS, John Hudson Sr. once helped organize a choir of 
4more than 100 singers for a special performance at Medinah

5Temple with Thomas A. Dorsey, the father of gospel music; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, John Hudson Sr. directed the gospel standard 
7"Don't Forget the Family Prayer" at the annual Hudson family 
8reunion, which
traditionally closes the gathering, now in its 
960th year; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, John Hudson Sr.'s enjoyed visiting his family in 
11Mississippi and traveling to the south; he also enjoyed pound 
12cake and watching "Wheel of Fortune"; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, John Hudson Sr. is survived by his wife of 48 
14years, Dorothy (Sutton); his sons, John Jr., Paris, and 
15Prentice; three grandchildren; his sisters, Ruth, Julia, and 
16Hattie; his brothers, Clarence, Robert, Michael, and Donald; 
17and many cousins, nephews, and nieces; therefore, be it
  
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL 
19ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of 
20John Howard Hudson Sr., and extend our sincere condolences to 
21his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it 
 
 
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1further
  
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
3presented to  the family of  John Hudson Sr. as an expression of 
4our deepest sympathy.