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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Dezo
4McGill, who passed away on May 27, 2012; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dezo McGill was born on April 23, 1933, in Oktaha,
6Oklahoma, to James Reed and Uraha Belle Triggs; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Dezo McGill served with distinction as a member of
8the United States Army and received an honorable discharge on
9January 31, 1962; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Following his service in the Army, Dezo McGill
11continued his education at Langston University, where he earned
12his bachelor's degree in biology, and at Wichita State
13University, where he earned his master's degree; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Dezo McGill served as a high school teacher for
15many years; he was well known for encouraging his students to
16stretch themselves to strive to achieve their educational
17goals; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Dezo McGill accepted his call to ministry and
19began his journey as one of God's choice servants; from 1963 to
201967, he served as Assistant to the Pastor at Tabernacle

 

 

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1Baptist Church; in 1969, he was called to serve as Pastor of
2the New Zion Baptist Church in Wichita, Kansas; in August of
31973, he accepted the call to serve as the Pastor of Main
4Street Baptist Church in Aurora; as Pastor of Main Street
5Baptist, he was actively involved in his community, serving
6locally as Chaplain for the Aurora Police Department and as a
7member of the Ministerial Alliance; he retired after 32 years
8of faithful service to Main Baptist Church; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Dezo McGill had a heart for missions and was
10committed to the continual building of God's Kingdom, at home
11and abroad; in 1981, he took his first journey to Zimbabwe;
12through the encouragement and inspiration of the Main Baptist
13membership, he journeyed to Africa 28 times; in 1983, he
14founded the Africa Crusade Ministry, Inc., and invited other
15ministers and lay persons to join the Crusade; during one of
16the Crusade trips, he determined that the ministry needed to
17expand to offer more tangible assistance; he subsequently
18formed the African American Outreach Mission to further their
19missionary efforts; he reached out to churches and communities
20throughout the country to collect Bibles, clothing, medical
21equipment, medicines, computer equipment, school supplies, and
22other items; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Dezo McGill served as Vice President of Ecumenical
24Affairs of the National Baptist State Convention, Moderator and

 

 

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12nd Vice Moderator of the Northwood River District Association,
22nd Vice President of the Illinois Missionary Baptist State
3Convention, President of the Illinois State Congress, Dean of
4Practical Studies of the National Sunday School and B.T.U.
5Congress, and leader of the Ministers Lecture Series with the
6National Congress; he was also ordained as an Honorary Anglican
7Priest in Harare, Zimbabwe, an honor he cherished deeply; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Dezo McGill is survived by his wife of 39 years,
9Esther C. McGill; his children, James McGill, Gary Polk, Portia
10(Richard) Prather, Dezo (Donna) McGill, Jr., Brenda Johnson,
11Ronnie (Jane) McGill, Cathryn McGill, Charles Dixon, and
12Andriette McGill; his sisters, Dorothy Johnson, Charlene
13Carter, Gwendolyn Breedlove, and Yvonne Caldwell; his
14brothers, Alvin Curtis, Leonard Triggs, and Al Triggs; his
15grandchildren, Brian Polk, Aspen Polk, Darvell Polk, Raymond
16(Shontel) Griffin, Titus Prather, Antigone (Matt) Rappord,
17Darrius Johnson, Lindsey Johnson, Joshua McGill, DJ McGill,
18Riley McGill, Nashae (Adam) Morin, Caleb Dixon, and Tashia
19Woodridge; his great-grandchildren, Titus L. Prather, Kali
20McGowan, William Griffin, and Aaliyah Griffin; and his many
21other relatives, friends, and the entire congregation of his
22church; therefore, be it
 
23    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
24NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that

 

 

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1we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of
2Dezo McGill; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4presented to the family of Dezo McGill as an expression of our
5sympathy.