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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Genevieve Range Brown, who passed away on
4February 12, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Genevieve Brown was born to Charles and Estella
6Evans on December 22, 1938; she committed to her faith and
7began her Christian ministry as a Sunday school teacher; her
8love for teaching grew, and she eventually served as a vacation
9bible school director, a Sunday school superintendent, a
10SpiritLed Women director, and a Bible study leader; she was
11ordained into the gospel ministry on May 16, 1993; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Genevieve Brown was the first African American
13cheerleader at Joliet Township High School and the first
14African American woman to run for the school board in Joliet;
15in the 1970s, she became the first African American female
16wrestling referee in the State of Illinois; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Genevieve Brown was an advocate for all; she
18created the Genevieve Brown Scholarship for high school teen
19mothers; she volunteered at the Salvation Army, read to
20children at the local school, and served as the president of
21the PTA and the band boosters; after her first heart bypass
22surgery, she founded the support group Mended Hearts; for the

 

 

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1last three years, she was a member of Leap of Faith Ministries
2under the leadership of her oldest son; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Genevieve Brown received many awards for her
4community work, including the Joliet NAACP Phenomenal Women
5Award, the Woman of Distinction Award from the Midwest
6Christian Women's Conference, the Vivian Pennymon Community
7Service Award from the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and the
8Community Service Award from the National Hook-Up of Black
9Women; she was also recognized by Mothers Against Gangs; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Genevieve Brown was preceded in death by her
11parents and her siblings, Charles Evans Jr. and Ethel Mae
12Bankston; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Genevieve Brown is survived by her children,
14Bishop-Elect Steven (Alicia) Evans, R. Dale (Valerie) Evans,
15Dr. Tammy (Willie) Alexander, Rhonda (Neal) Lockhart, and Elder
16David (Sidonia) Range; her sister-in-love, Margaret Lively;
17her godchildren, DonnaRae Spivey, Troy Cicero Jr., Taylor
18Cicero, and Kemyra Genny-Johnay Davis; her cousins, friends,
19and the next generation of trailblazers, servant leaders, and
20community advocates; her 16 grandchildren; her 20
21great-grandchildren; and her two great-great-grandchildren;
22therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
2ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
3Genevieve Range Brown and extend our sincere condolences to her
4family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Genevieve Brown as an expression of
8our deepest sympathy.