SR0474 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0474 LRB102 19712 LAW 28486 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of the Honorable Raymond Alan Bolden of Joliet, who passed away on August 17, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Judge Bolden was born in Chicago to Catherine Hester Ray and Adrian Bolden on December 17, 1933; he moved to Joliet as a teen and lived with his maternal grandfather, Edward "Papa" Ray; he graduated from Joliet Township High School in 1951 and Joliet Junior College in 1953; he served in the U.S. Air Force; he married Kathleen "Kat" Whitfield in 1956, and they raised three children together before she preceded him in death after 38 years of marriage; he earned his law degree from the University of Illinois in 1961; he married Deborah Hickman McLurkin in 1998; and

WHEREAS, Alongside his wife Kat, Judge Bolden was active in the Civil Rights Movement, and they battled ceaselessly against racial discrimination in housing, employment, and education; they partnered on numerous community projects, including the Warren-Sharpe Community Center, which they co-founded in 1990; he served as president of the Joliet Branch of the NAACP during the 1960s, and he later received the organization's Lifetime Achievement Award; and

WHEREAS, Judge Bolden was a trailblazer for over 40 years; he served as the first Black assistant state's attorney of Will County; he became a renowned criminal defense lawyer; he was a brilliant legal strategist and a powerful speaker who believed that the law could be a great force for social justice and equality; he was appointed the Will County Associate Judge in 1986, a post he held with distinction for 14 years; following his retirement from the bench, he returned to practicing law; he was later reappointed as a circuit court judge for a one-year term; and

WHEREAS, Judge Bolden was a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Parish, where he served in various ministries; alongside his wife Deborah, he continued to serve the community through the National Hook-Up of Black Women and the Black Bar Association of Will County, which he co-founded in 2007; he was also a committed White Sox fan; and

WHEREAS, Judge Bolden was a warrior for justice known for always standing on the side of equality and championing for the weak and oppressed; the practice of law was his passion and the fulfillment of his dream, but his heart belonged to his family; his legacy will live on in those he loved and inspired; and

WHEREAS, Judge Bolden was preceded in death by his grandfather; his parents; his brothers, Frank, Joseph, and Edward; and his sister, June Bolden; and

WHEREAS, Judge Bolden is survived by his wife of 23 years, Deborah Bolden; his children, Kathryn "Kay" Bolden, Alan Scott (Erika) Bolden, and Joseph "Joe" Bolden; his grandchildren, Shayla Grayson, Joshua Bolden, Jeremy (Katie) Bolden, Karyn (Dennis) Omogbeme, McKay Bolden, McKenzie Bolden, and Cameron Bolden; his great-grandchildren, Ashanti Govan, Kyla Bolden, Jacari Bolden, Isaiah Bolden, Harlie Jade Bolden, and Cree Bolden; his bonus children, Justin McLurkin and Kimberly (David) Wright; his bonus grandchildren, Cole Hughes, Elliott Wright, Emerson Wright, Caitlyn McLurkin, and Sydney McLurkin; his sister-in-law, Betty (Billy) Byrd, and the entire Byrd family; his niece, Linda (Eric) Washington; his nephew, Eugene "Geno" Bolden; his special cousins, Barbara "Penni" Williams and Sherri Tramel; and his countless friends and relatives; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of the Honorable Raymond Alan Bolden and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Judge Bolden as an expression of our deepest sympathy.