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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Robert E. Wooten, Sr. of Chicago, who
4 passed away on March 27, 2008; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Robert E. Wooten, Sr. was born on February 17,
6 1930; he was the son of Flora and John Henry Wooten; he was a
7 lifelong resident of Chicago; and
 
8     WHEREAS, In 1945, while attending Morgan Park High School,
9 Robert E. Wooten, Sr. organized a gospel choral group, the
10 Morgan Park Crusaders; after graduation, he was stricken by a
11 serious illness and was hospitalized for a year; upon
12 recovering from his illness, he devoted his life and musical
13 talent to serving his faith; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Robert E. Wooten, Sr. devoted much of his life to
15 his great faith; in July of 1949, he founded the Wooten Choral
16 Ensemble, based at Beth Eden Baptist Church; today, the Wooten
17 Choral Ensemble boasts more than fifty members and has traveled
18 extensively to perform and preach the gospel, expressing a
19 spiritual message through anthems, hymns, black spirituals,
20 and gospel sounds; the Ensemble has recorded several albums and
21 appeared on many local radio and television programs; he
22 retired as the Minister of Music of Beth Eden Baptist Church

 

 

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1 after 60 years of service to the congregation; he also served
2 as Director of Music for the Progressive National Baptist
3 Convention and as a clinician throughout the nation; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Robert E. Wooten, Sr. received his bachelor's
5 degree in music education from the Chicago Musical Conservatory
6 in 1956 and his master's degree from Roosevelt University in
7 1968; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Robert E. Wooten, Sr. received many awards and
9 recognitions for his contributions to gospel music; he was
10 given an honorary doctorate from Virginia Seminary College in
11 1983; he was recognized at the Chicago Gospel Festival in 1994
12 for his contributions to religious music; in 2004, he was
13 listed by The History Makers for outstanding contributions in
14 Music; in 2005, he was honored by NASPAAM (National Association
15 for the Study and Performance of African-American Music) for
16 his outstanding achievements in African-American music; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Robert E. Wooten, Sr. also enjoyed a distinguished
18 career as an educator; during his tenure at Parker High School
19 in Chicago, he led the school's choir to city-wide fame and
20 rose to the rank of assistant principal before becoming a
21 district administrator; he worked as a district administrator
22 with the Chicago Board of Education until his retirement in
23 1994; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Robert E. Wooten, Sr. and his wife, Frances, were
2 married since 1956; together, they had three children;
3 therefore, be it
 
4     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
5 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
6 his family and friends, the passing of Robert E. Wooten, Sr.;
7 and be it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9 presented to the family of Robert E. Wooten, Sr. as an
10 expression of our sympathy.