HR0883 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0883 LRB095 15675 KXB 41680 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of DeWayne Lenell White, who passed away on December 4, 2007; and

WHEREAS, DeWayne White was born on February 20, 1980 to Lenell White, Jr. and Sandra E. Ireland-White in Chicago; he was the first born to this union; DeWayne was baptized at an early age on March 20, 1980 at St. Raphael Catholic Church; and

WHEREAS, Private DeWayne White died while serving with the United States Army in Iraq; he was a part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team from Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and

WHEREAS, He attended St. Raphael Elementary School and Curie High School; when the family moved to Country Club Hills during his senior year, DeWayne earned his GED and trained to be a welder through Job Corps; for the next few years, he worked a series of jobs in Tennessee, Kansas, and the Southland; in November of 2004, he joined the United States Army along with his brother, DeShaun; and

WHEREAS, While stationed at Fort Campbell, DeWayne seized the opportunity to attend Air Assault School; he served one tour in Iraq from 2005 to 2006; he was deployed in September of 2007 for his second tour of duty; it was during one of his military stints in Clarksville, Tennessee, that DeWayne met Syneca Beach and they were joined in holy matrimony on February 25, 2007; and

WHEREAS, DeWayne loved to dance, draw cartoons of hip-hop characters, play pool and his PlayStation (at all hours of the night); he loved to write poetry and rap; he adored the family's dog, a Rottweiler named Zeus; and he also did a dead-on impression of Donald Duck; and

WHEREAS, DeWayne White is survived by his wife, Syneca; his mother, Sandra; his step-father, Chester L. Miller, Sr.; his father, Lenell (Reneé) White, Jr.; his brothers, DeShaun White, Edwin White, and Chester Miller, Jr.; his sisters, Nekita Miller, DéJaneé White, and Kimberly (Korey) Miller-Highsmith; his grandmother, Geneva White; his grandfather, Paul Miller, Sr.; his very special niece, Jaida; and his soon-to-arrive niece, Makailah; his mother-in-law, Kova Thicklin; his brother-in-law, Seth Beach; his grandmother-in-law, Shirley Bluing; his grandfather-in-law, Chester (Laurine) Thicklin; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Private DeWayne White; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we honor the memory of Private DeWayne White and his willingness to serve our country, which led to him making the ultimate sacrifice; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of DeWayne White as a symbol of our respect and sympathy.