HR0895 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0895 LRB095 15137 GRL 41100 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, State Representative Monique D. Davis and the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Reverend Barbara Jean Allen of Chicago, who passed away on November 13, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Barbara Jean Allen was born on January 15, 1934 in Chicago; she was the second child of Herbert Spencer Salone Sr. and Anna Rae (Johnson); she married S.L. "Sam" Allen on October 12, 1957; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Barbara Jean Allen was raised in Chicago; she attended Doolittle Elementary School and Dunbar Vocational High School, where she was recognized as an exceptional student; it was at Dunbar that she met her future husband, S.L. "Sam" Allen; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from Dunbar in 1951, Rev. Barbara Jean Allen accepted a full-time position as an accounting clerk at the Illinois Bell Telephone Company; she became a pioneer within the company, becoming one of the first African-American women to be hired as a stenographer before being promoted to become one of the first African-American women to be a service representative at Illinois Bell Telephone; she also held the distinction of being one of the first five African-American level managers and one of three African-American second level managers in the company, as well as serving as the first African-American manager of Illinois Bell Telephone's new Equal Employment Opportunity Department; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Barbara Jean Allen was raised in the Church of the Living God CWFF; in 1962, she and her husband relocated to the South Side of Chicago and became members of Trinity United Church in Christ, under the leadership of Dr. Kenneth B. Smith; and

WHEREAS, Soon after becoming a member of the Church of the Living God CWFF, Rev. Barbara Jean Allen became active in many of the church's programs; she joined the church's Christian Education Department and became the backbone of the Sunday School Department; she was elected to the Board of Christian Education of Trinity; she was instrumental in the design and development of a Church School curriculum for the church's students; in 1977, she was commissioned as the Director of Christian Education of Trinity at United Church of Christ and was licensed as the first African-American female minister in the Chicago Metropolitan Association of the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ's history; she then served as Assistant Pastor, followed by Executive Minister, where she oversaw the operation of the church and its programs for over 25 years; and

WHEREAS, Under the guidance of Rev. Barbara Jean Allen, the Church of the Living God CWFF greatly expanded its choir programs from its original three choir groups into its current incarnation, which includes the Sanctuary Choir, the Women's Chorus, the Men's Chorus, Imani Ya Watume, the Little Warriors for Christ, and Walaika; under her tutelage, over 8,000 new members were taught the ways of the church and 35 seminarians were supervised in their studies from beginning to end; inspired by her battles with cancer, she founded the Can-Cer-Vive Ministry; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Barbara Jean Allen is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, S.L. "Sam" Allen; her children, Michael and Sandra; her siblings, James (Gerry), Gail, Debra (Alvin), and Mark (Valee); her grandchildren, Mikie, Alleyah, and Kayli; her loving and supportive church family; and her many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Barbara Jean Allen will be remembered by all who knew and loved her as a loving, patient, and gentle woman who was always loyal to her family and obedient to God; 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 her family and friends, the passing of Reverend Barbara Jean Allen; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Reverend Barbara Jean Allen as an expression of our sympathy.