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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Cyrus Johnson of Jackson, Tennessee,
4 formerly of Alton, who passed away on February 27, 2009; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson was born on February 18, 1929 in
6 Alton; his parents were Cyrus Leroy and Jennie Cornelia (Keen)
7 Johnson; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson attended school at Woods School and
9 Foster Township; he continued his education at Lovejoy School
10 and Alton Senior High School; he attended college at Shurtleff
11 College and the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana,
12 where he earned his bachelor's degree in urban land economics
13 in 1956 and his master's degree in social science in 1959;
14 after graduating, he pursued numerous corporate training
15 opportunities, including stints at the Massachusetts Institute
16 of Technology, the University of Pittsburgh, and Harvard
17 University's Advanced Management Program 69, where he served as
18 class president; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson served in the United States Army
20 from 1950 to 1952, he went through basic training at Fort
21 Leonard Wood, Missouri before serving his tour of duty in
22 Germany during the Korean Conflict; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson was well known for his incredible
2 work ethic, a trait honed on his family's farm; while attending
3 the University of Illinois, he served as head waiter and
4 assistant manager of food services at the Urbana Lincoln Motor
5 Inn; after his graduate studies, he and his family went to
6 Chicago, where Mr. Johnson served for 14 years at the Illinois
7 Bell Telephone Company as the public office manager; he
8 received many promotions during his tenure, ending his career
9 as a district commercial manager; in 1973, he was hired at
10 General Mills Incorporated to serve as the first
11 African-American vice president of the company, a position he
12 occupied for 18 years until his retirement; following his
13 retirement, he became a full-time gentleman farmer; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Throughout his life, Cyrus Johnson served his
15 community in leadership positions on numerous local and
16 national nonprofit, professional, corporate, and university
17 boards; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson was preceded in death by parents and
19 his sister, Cora Darden; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson is survived by his wife of 54 years,
21 Charlotte E. (Kenniebrew) Johnson; his daughters, Judie
22 Johnson and Renee Johnson; his favorite granddaughter, Jennie

 

 

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1 M. Johnson McFadden; his sisters and brothers, Virginia Ward
2 (Paul), Lucille Piggott (Bert), Mary Hyndman, Harold Johnson
3 (Evelyn), Robert Darden (husband of Cora), William Johnson
4 (Olivia "Sue"), Lloyd Johnson (Minnie), Alvin Johnson
5 (Thelma), and Adele Carpenter (Willi); his many nieces and
6 nephews; his large extended family; and his friend and mentor,
7 James A. Summer; therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
9 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
10 his family and friends, the passing of Cyrus Johnson; and be it
11 further
 
12     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13 presented to the family of Cyrus Johnson as an expression of
14 our sympathy.