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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of John W.
4 Davis of Chicago, who passed away on January 3, 2008; and
 
5     WHEREAS, John W. Davis was born of the union of Richmond L.
6 Davis and Gertrude Walker on August 13, 1933; he was the sixth
7 of nine children; he was a 1950 graduate of Wynona High School
8 in Birmingham, Alabama; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Upon graduation, Mr. Davis volunteered for the
10 United States Army Airborne two months after the Korean War
11 began; his leadership abilities were quickly realized, and he
12 was selected by the U.S. Army to study in seven separate
13 schools, including medical, radio operator, code decipher,
14 ranger, and airborne school; prior to leaving the military, Mr.
15 Davis was accepted to Fisk University; he was honorably
16 discharged in August 1953 and chose to relocate to Chicago in
17 1954 to commence his work and college career; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Mr. Davis earned his Bachelor of Science degree
19 from Chicago Technical College in 1960; he earned another
20 bachelor's degree from Chicago Real Estate Institute in 1970;
21 Mr. Davis went on to earn a real estate diploma, real estate
22 license and certification, including designations as a

 

 

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1 certified property manager, and in property management,
2 brokerage, and administration, mortgage banking, syndication,
3 and real estate appraising; he also completed programs in
4 estate appraisal, and single and multifamily appraisal; and
 
5     WHEREAS, In 1983, Mr. Davis was certified as a county
6 assessor for Cook County; additionally, he earned an executive
7 management certificate from Harvard University; in 1972, Mr.
8 Davis was appointed as director of real estate management for
9 the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
10 and held this position until 1979; Mr. Davis was then appointed
11 Cook County deputy assessor; in 1984, he was chosen by former
12 Mayor of Chicago Harold Washington to serve as the Chicago
13 Transit Authority's director of real estate, a position he held
14 until his retirement in 1992; in 1995 Cook County Board
15 President John H. Stroger, Jr., named Mr. Davis Cook County
16 real estate director, a position he held for 12 years until his
17 retirement in October 2006; and
 
18     WHEREAS, John Davis served as vice president of the Chatham
19 Avalon Park Community Council; the Chatham Lions Club;
20 secretary of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; president of Dad's
21 Club at Hirsch High School; and a board member of Shultz-Lewis
22 Children's school in Valparaiso, Indiana; he served on the
23 executive committee for the Chicago Urban League; and he was a
24 commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America; his proudest

 

 

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1 achievement was serving as an elder for the Stony Island of
2 Church of Christ for 30 years; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Mr. Davis is survived by his wife of 53 years,
4 Shirley; his children, Cheryle, Paul, Michael, and Glenn; his
5 siblings, Irma Freeman, Gertrude Bloom, Booker, Doris Carter,
6 Ophelia George, and Mildred Love; he is also survived by seven
7 grandchildren, Glenn II, Mike Jr., Marcus, Brian, Whitney,
8 Tiffany, and Tory and three great-grandchildren, Nakbari,
9 Feranmi, and Marcus II; he was preceded in death by his child,
10 Tracy, and his siblings, Fannell Lawson and Richmond;
11 therefore, be it
 
12     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14 mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of John
15 W. Davis; and be it further
 
16     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17 presented to the family of John W. Davis as a symbol of our
18 sincere sympathy.