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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Charles Rheon Brock of Champaign, who
4 passed away on September 29, 2008; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Charles Rheon Brock, also known as Chuck, was born
6 on September 26, 1953 in Greenville, Mississippi to Odessa
7 Delores and the late Emmett Brock, Sr.; he was the third of
8 four children born to that union; Charles attended Julia L.
9 Armstrong and Melissa Manning Elementary Schools; he attended
10 Coleman High School, where he played the tuba in the marching
11 band; due to integration, he graduated in 1971 from Greenville
12 High School; and
 
13     WHEREAS, After graduation he attended the University of
14 Illinois-Urbana, where he majored in Political Science; he was
15 a defensive tackle for the Illini football team; he pledged
16 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Tau Chapter; after
17 leaving the University he partnered with two people, Revie
18 Sorey, his former classmate at the University, and Jack Weiner;
19 together they became the first two African-American fur
20 wholesalers in the country; and
 
21     WHEREAS, In 1987 he became the Executive Director of the
22 Roseland Business Development Council under Mayor Richard M.

 

 

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1 Daley in Chicago; during his tenure in the Roseland community,
2 his organization was a delegate agency to the City of Chicago;
3 the organization provided technical assistance to the business
4 community and developed low and moderate homes for area
5 residents; in 1987 he teamed up with Reverend Dr. William
6 Samuel to do affordable housing in the City of Chicago; and
 
7     WHEREAS, He relocated to Champaign, where he held the title
8 of Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Westwood
9 Community Development in East Central Illinois; in 1992 he
10 totally lost his sight due to the effects of diabetes; in spite
11 of his blindness, he never stopped being active in community
12 projects and caring for residents in the community; and
 
13     WHEREAS, He and his wife, Christine, were united in
14 marriage on October 24, 1998 in Chicago and he became a
15 stepfather to Alex; in 1999 he ran for Mayor of Champaign; he
16 was the first Chairman for the Resident Advisory Board of
17 Champaign County Housing Urban and Development; he was a member
18 of the Church of the Living God in Champaign; in 1996 he had a
19 city-wide Youth Conference in Champaign; he was the founder of
20 Brock Innovative Group, Project Vowels for American Veterans,
21 Rheon Entertainment, and had recently started the Old School
22 Music Project to preserve 50s, 60s, and 70s music; he had a
23 television show on Public Access in Urbana and a former Old
24 School Music radio show; he interviewed celebrities such as the

 

 

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1 O’Jays, Nancy Wilson, Jerry Butler, The Chi-Lites, The Dells,
2 The Emotions, Tom Joyner, The Temptations, Ludacris, the late
3 James Brown, Gerald Levert, and many other artists; in 2003 he
4 started the Academic Athlete of the Month where high school
5 students were honored for their achievements; and he created
6 many community events, including the Illi-Bears for the Illini
7 fans; and
 
8     WHEREAS, He leaves his loving wife, Christine; his son,
9 Alex Cater; his play daughter, Kristina Joi Hunt; his devoted
10 mother, Odessa Brock; his two sisters, Deborah (Solomon)
11 Osborne and Sheila (Aaron) Capers; his brother, Emmett (Dawn)
12 Brock, Jr.; his two sister-laws, Vanessa Johnson and Janet
13 Johnson; his special friends, Neda Lewis, Vicky Greear, and
14 James and Reynonda Branch; and a host of dear fraternity
15 brothers, many nephews, nieces, and a congregation of family
16 and friends; therefore, be it
 
17     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
18 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
19 his family and friends, the passing of Charles Brock; and be it
20 further
 
21     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
22 presented to the family of Charles Brock as a symbol of our
23 sincere sympathy.