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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Josephine Leah Bulger Lewis of Chicago,
4 who passed away on February 19, 2008; and
 
5     WHEREAS, She was born on March 9, 1928, the second oldest
6 of six children born to Idella Atkins and Horace Ward Bulger,
7 Sr., in Chicago; she grew up on the South Side of Chicago where
8 she attended Cosmopolitan Community Church; Josephine
9 confessed her belief in Jesus Christ at an early age, was
10 baptized, and began her Christian journey; she attended
11 Doolittle Elementary School and graduated Valedictorian of her
12 eighth grade class; she continued her education at Englewood
13 High School and Wilson Junior College; she met her beloved
14 husband John Lewis II and after a short courtship they were
15 married at Cosmopolitan Community Church on June 22, 1947; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Josephine continued her education at Roosevelt
17 University where she completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in
18 Education in 1965 while working at Illinois Bell Telephone
19 Company; after graduation, Josephine taught at Stagg
20 Elementary School for a few years; while a member at Arnette
21 A.M.E. Church, she developed a close relationship with Reverend
22 Evelyn Hooks, who suggested to Josephine to pray and ask God
23 for His will; through prayer and supplication Josephine

 

 

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1 received the answer to her prayer and was set apart as a
2 Deaconess in the African Methodist Church in 1977; and
 
3     WHEREAS, In the early 80's Josephine and John transferred
4 their membership to Maple Park United Methodist Church, where
5 she became active in various ministries in the church,
6 including the Chancel Choir, Building Fund Committee, United
7 Methodist Women, Stephen's Ministry, and Worship Committee;
8 she completed the training required by the Northern Illinois
9 Conference and was the first Deaconess in the Northern Illinois
10 Conference; and
 
11     WHEREAS, She founded Phoebe's Place, a senior drop-in
12 center, over 20 years ago, in Maple Park United Methodist
13 Church; Hidden Treasures was established in 1996, a day care
14 center for those suffering with Alzheimer's Disease; she
15 received many awards and honors for her hard work, including
16 being named the Coca Cola Person of the Month; named by Mayor
17 Daley and the Chicago Department on Aging as an
18 African-American History Making Senior; saluted by Channel 5
19 (NBC Chicago) with a Lifetime Achievement and Commitment to
20 Enhancing Lives to Citizens in Chicago; and she was honored by
21 Channel 7's (ABC Chicago) Harry Porterfield, who saluted Jo as
22 Someone You Should Know; and
 
23     WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her son John H. Lewis

 

 

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1 III; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Josephine Lewis is survived by her husband, John
3 H. Lewis II; her son, Ronald K. Lewis (Doris Lewis); her
4 daughter, Cheryl P. Lewis; her beloved daughter-in-law, Vivian
5 M. Lewis; her two granddaughters, Kimberly Davis and Sequoya
6 Lewis; her great-granddaughter, Christian A.M. Davis; her
7 sister, Patricia Bell-Phillips (Romeo); her brother, Horace W.
8 Bulger II; a host of nieces and nephews, great nieces and
9 nephews, several cousins, and a host of close friends;
10 therefore, be it
 
11     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
12 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
13 her family and friends, the passing of Josephine Lewis; and be
14 it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16 presented to the family of Josephine Lewis as a symbol of our
17 sincere sympathy.