SR0047 LRB094 07105 CSA 37855 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois
3 learned with sadness of the death of Leon DeSoto Curry of East
4 St. Louis on January 4, 2005; and
 
5     WHEREAS, He was born June 16, 1919 in St. Louis, Missouri,
6 and was a product of the St. Louis Public School System,
7 graduating from Vashon High School in 1938; he attended Bradley
8 University before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1940; he was
9 honorably discharged in 1945 with the rank of Sergeant; and
 
10     WHEREAS, In 1946, he married Helen Dorion, and to this
11 union five daughters and one son were born; on September 25,
12 1971, he married Gwendolyn G. Merriweather; he was a faithful
13 member of St. Paul Baptist Church and served on the Trustee
14 Ministry; and
 
15     WHEREAS, After serving in the military, he worked for the
16 U.S. Post Office; he later received a degree in Business
17 Administration and Accounting from St. Louis University, and
18 worked for the Veteran's Administration for twenty years as a
19 counselor of veteran's benefits, retiring in 1986; he was
20 president of the AFCD Local and was head of the Credit
21 Committee, later becoming a member of the board of directors
22 for Arsenal Credit Union; he also worked many years with his
23 brother at the Action Auto Repair Shop; he had a passion for
24 the history of the Buffalo Soldiers and loved to enlighten
25 others about this historical group; one of his most prestigious
26 accomplishments was his life membership with the Ninth and
27 Tenth Horse Cavalry Association; he served proudly as the 2nd
28 Vice-President of membership for the Association for a total of
29 fifteen years; and
 
30     WHEREAS, Leon was a knowledgeable and diligent man when it
31 came to assisting clients, family, and friends; he left those

 

 

SR0047 - 2 - LRB094 07105 CSA 37855 r

1 who knew him richer and wiser; and
 
2     WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; his son,
3 Leon, Jr.; and a daughter, Ellen Lynette; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The passing of Leon DeSoto Curry will be felt by
5 his loving and devoted wife, Gwendolyn (nee Gillespie); his
6 children, Sheryl (John) Beacon, Yvonne (Flemming) Hansen,
7 Renee' Curry, Lynnda Curry, Brenda Merriweather Franklin,
8 Phillip (Karin) Merriweather, Sr., and JoAnn Merriweather
9 Holt; his grandchildren, Angela, Phil Jr., Terrance, Staci,
10 Brady, Courtney, Crystal, Anjanette, and Mariah; his
11 great-grandchildren, Erick, Kamre', and Jaylen; his siblings,
12 Louis (Dorothy) Preston and Doris Calvert Black; his numerous
13 loving nieces and nephews; and his St. Paul Church Family;
14 therefore, be it
 
15     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
16 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
17 Leon DeSoto Curry and we extend our sincerest condolences to
18 his family, friends, and community; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20 presented to his family as an expression of our deepest
21 sympathy.