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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Ben Louis Jones; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Ben Jones was born in Saluda, South Carolina to
5Lula Mae "Bennie" and Emanual Jones on February 25, 1927; he
6completed high school and received his license in carpentry; he
7and his wife, Eva Mae, moved to Cleveland in the early 1950s as
8part of the Great Migration; and
 
9    WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Ben Jones and his brother, Alonzo
10Smith, founded a construction company in Cleveland, Beneva
11Construction, which specialized in building and remodeling
12homes; the company was known for excellence and precision and
13was a means of providing jobs and apprenticeships for family
14moving north; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Ben Jones married Reatha on February 26, 1977;
16they enjoyed traveling together, especially to Israel, where
17they were baptized in the Jordan River; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Ben Jones always enjoyed meeting new people; he
19acted in the Karamu Playhouse in Cleveland; his CB handle was
20"The House Doctor"; he enjoyed fishing from his boat and often
21caught enough fish to feed the community; he joined the Union

 

 

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1Grove Missionary Baptist Church in the early 1960s and served
2on the deacon board and in the male chorus; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Ben Jones is survived by his wife of 41 years,
4Reatha; his sister, Johnnie Mae Herbert (George); his son,
5John; his daughter, Patricia (Stephen); his stepson, Solomon
6(Renee); his granddaughter, Shantai; his nieces, Quinda,
7Sherri, Bennita (Brian), Thelma, Beverly, and Breanna; his
8nephew, Reuben; and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces,
9nephews, and friends; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12Ben Louis Jones, and extend our sincere condolences to his
13family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
14further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of Ben Jones as an expression of our
17deepest sympathy.