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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Henry W. Cowherd Jr. of Aurora, who
4passed away on July 12, 2017; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Henry Cowherd was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to
6Henry W. Sr. and Louise (Carter) Cowherd on May 19, 1924; he
7graduated from East Aurora High School in 1945; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Henry Cowherd worked at the Burgess Norton Company
9for 34 years; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Henry Cowherd made history when he became the
11first African American elected to the East Aurora School Board,
12where he served for 13 years; he was honored by the Illinois
13State Board of Education as one of "Those Who Excel" in
14recognition of his volunteerism and leadership; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Henry Cowherd was recognized by the Aurora African
16American Heritage Advisory Board, where a scholarship was named
17in his honor; he served on the Aurora Human Relations
18Commission, the Aurora Area Crime Stoppers Board of Directors,
19and was a governing member of the Rush-Copley Board of
20Directors; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Henry Cowherd was the past president of Boys
2Baseball of Aurora; he was a member of the Sports Booster Club
3for 25 years and was inducted into the Illinois Basketball
4Coaches Association Hall of Fame; he was an active member of
5Main Baptist Church, where he served as a trustee for 20 years;
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, In 1991, the East Aurora Board of Education
8unanimously voted to name the district's third middle school in
9Henry Cowherd's honor, H.W. Cowherd Middle School; in 2015, he
10and his wife were honored by the City of Aurora as grand
11marshals for the Fourth of July parade; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Henry Cowherd was preceded in death by his parents
13and his son Roderick, (Becky) Cowherd; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Henry Cowherd is survived by his wife of 70 years,
15Phyllis "Carolyn" Cowherd; his daughter, Brenda (Rufus) Banks;
16his son, James Michael (Ricardo) Cowherd; his grandchildren,
17Shelley (Rodney) Johnson, Anthony Cowherd, Scott (Ashley)
18Banks, and Stephen Cowherd; his great-grandchildren, Rima,
19Lailani, Bradyn, Brycen, Kenya, and Kaia; his sister, Barbara
20(Leon) Johnson; and his nephew, Ronell (Sherri) Johnson;
21therefore, be it
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL

 

 

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1ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
2Henry W. Cowherd Jr., and extend our sincere condolences to his
3family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
4further
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6presented to the family of Henry Cowherd as an expression of
7our deepest sympathy.