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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of William
4Cousins Jr., who passed away on January 20, 2018; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Bill Cousins was born in Swiftown, Mississippi,
6the son of a longshoreman father; he moved with his family to
7Memphis, Tennessee in 1931, and then to Chicago in 1938; he
8attended Forrestville Elementary School and was president of
9the 1945 graduating class at DuSable High School; he received a
10bachelor's degree in political science from the University of
11Illinois in 1948; after college, he knew he wanted to impact
12the public policy debate by becoming a lawyer; he was accepted
13at Yale, Columbia, Michigan, and Harvard Law Schools; he chose
14Harvard and graduated in 1951; his journey of public service
15also extended to military service; he was a platoon leader,
16Second Lieutenant Infantry, in the United States Army during
17the Korean War; he was later promoted to First Lieutenant;
18while in Japan, he met Hiroko Ogawa; they married in Japan in
191953; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Bill Cousins began working as an examining
21attorney for Chicago Title & Trust Co.; he then served as an
22assistant state's attorney; in 1961, he and three other
23African-American attorneys and Harvard Law School graduates

 

 

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1formed a law firm; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Bill Cousins led the Chatham-Avalon Park
3Community Council, where he worked to oppose high-rise housing
4in the neighborhood; he was elected alderman in 1967 and made
5the community viable by meeting with constituents, attending
6book club meetings, and effectively communicating with
7residents; he resigned from the City Council after he was
8elected to the Cook County Circuit Court in 1976; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Bill Cousins later served on panels that
10investigated two separate, deadly fire tragedies in Chicago and
11helped make important fire safety recommendations that were
12implemented; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Bill Cousins believed that the only way to make
14life better was to help those with greater needs, that nothing
15worthwhile was easy, and that the ability to overcome
16unfavorable situations provides the true strength and
17determination needed for success; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Bill Cousins was preceded in death by his wife,
19Hiroko; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Bill Cousins is survived by his daughters, Cheryl
21Akiko Cousins and Gail Yoshiko Cousins; his sons, Yul Cousins

 

 

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1and Noel Cousins; and his four grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
3HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
4mourn the passing of William Cousins Jr. and extend our sincere
5condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
6him; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the family of Bill Cousins as an expression of our
9deepest sympathy.