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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Percy Baker Jr. of Peoria, who passed
4 away on October 23, 2008; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Percy Baker Jr. was born March 26, 1950, in
6 Iverness, Mississippi, to Percy Sr. and Ethel Wilson Baker;
7 Percy was a 1968 graduate of Manual High School, where he sang
8 with the mixed chorus and participated on the men's basketball
9 team; he also attended Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa;
10 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology in 1972 from
11 Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where he played basketball
12 for the Simpson Redmen; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Percy enjoyed cooking, which was cultivated by his
14 first job as a teen with Walkers Catering Service; he later
15 worked for the Peoria Courthouse as a probation officer, and
16 for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services,
17 working with at-risk youth and wards of the State; over a
18 period of 10 years, he was donating service hours to George
19 Washington Carver Community Center; he was later appointed
20 executive director of the center and served in that capacity
21 for 13 years; and
 
22     WHEREAS, He initiated the following programs: Toy Shoe

 

 

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1 Drive, Biddy Basketball, Carver Senior Club, After-School
2 Program, Summer Camp, Head Start Program, Cocaine Anonymous,
3 Turbo Kick, IRS Tax Counseling Project, and the Kings of
4 Court;his total service to Carver accumulated 32 years; his
5 work as an advocate, volunteer, and going into the community,
6 led to his appointment as the upcoming volunteer chapter
7 director for the African-American Task Force for the Gift of
8 Hope; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Percy was a member of Heavens View Christian
10 Fellowship Church, where he sang with the Men of Vision; he
11 possessed a deep devotion to the public and was active in the
12 community, serving on many committees; Mr. Baker was a past
13 president and current board member of the AmerenCILCO Customer
14 Advisory Council; he served on the council for 13 years; he
15 also served on the Senior Citizens Commission for three years
16 and participated on the ICC Minority Recruitment & Retention
17 Committee; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Percy dedicated his life to helping others and was
19 recognized by the many awards and honors he was given,
20 including the 2008 Illinois Central College Role Model Award,
21 the 2008 National Association of Social Workers Public Citizen
22 of the Year Award, the 2007 Community Outreach Award, the 2007
23 Peoria Branch NAACP Civil Rights Award, the 2004 Wilson Lodge
24 #24 Men of Vision Leadership Award, the 2002 George Washington

 

 

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1 Carver Community Center Appreciation Award, the 2001 Martin
2 Luther King Jr. Honoree Award for Continued Community Service,
3 the 2001 Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major Award for Community
4 Service, the 2000 DCFS One Church, One Child Award for
5 Outstanding Service to Inner City Youth, the 1999 Sigma Gamma
6 Rho Image Award for Building a Better Community, the 1988 JC
7 Penny Golden Rule Award for Exceptional Volunteer Service, and
8 the 1997 Unshackled Annual Impact Award; and
 
9     WHEREAS, In 1995, he was inducted into the Afro Hall of
10 Fame Museum; Percy enjoyed coaching youth at Father Sweeney
11 School, assisting with the Gus Macker tournament, and lending
12 his talents as an emcee to the River City Soul Fest and the
13 Gospel Jubilee; and
 
14     WHEREAS, As a speaker in the school system, he was always
15 willing and available to speak to Peoria's youth to encourage
16 them to stay on the right path; Percy created and was
17 commentator of the B Word, a talk radio program which dealt
18 with current issues affecting the African-American community
19 in Peoria; he became an advocate of organ donation, taking
20 speaking engagements to stress its importance to area youth and
21 the African-American community; and his legacy will live on as
22 bone marrow and other organs have been donated to save the
23 lives of others; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his mother; one
2 brother, Lawrence; and one sister, Lela; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Percy Baker Jr. leaves to cherish his memory his
4 father, Percy Baker Sr.; his fiancee, Denise Parker; his two
5 sons, Lawrence Luse Baker and Desmond Baker; his three sisters,
6 Mattie Baker, Mary Ann Baker, and Mildred Smith; his brother,
7 David Baker; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces,
8 nephews, family members, and friends; therefore, be it
 
9     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
10 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
11 his family and friends, the passing of Percy Baker Jr.; and be
12 it further
 
13     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14 presented to the family of Percy Baker Jr. as a symbol of our
15 sincere sympathy.