HR1068 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1068 LRB096 21741 GRL 39657 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Mary Lou Walker of Carbondale, who passed away on March 17, 2010; and

WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker was born on September 4, 1930, in Hurst; she was the daughter of Eugene "Shine" Shafer and Erma "Keyes" Shafer; and

WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker graduated from Hurst-Bush High School in 1948; in 1965, she became the first woman to graduate from Southern Illinois University with a degree in mortuary science; and

WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker married James W. Walker in 1962; the couple shared 35 years of marriage until his passing on June 19, 1997; Mary continued to operate the couple's funeral home business, Walker Funeral Homes, P.C., until her passing; and

WHEREAS, Walker Funeral Homes, P.C., was founded in 1950 by James W. Walker; the organization was first established in Carbondale and later expanded to 2 additional locations in Hurst and Alto Pass; and

WHEREAS, During her tenure as operator of Walker Funeral Homes, Mary Lou Walker established the first licensed crematory in the Southern Illinois Region by a family-owned funeral home; and

WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker took great pride in operating the funeral business with her husband and her son, Regge, and considered helping families in time of grief her life's passion; and

WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker was a member of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association, the National Funeral Directors Association, CANA, the Egyptian Funeral Directors Association, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Elks Club of Carbondale, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Eagles Club of Carbondale, and the Hurst Lions Club Auxiliary and Rotary; and

WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker was preceded in death by her husband and her son, James Tracy Walker; and

WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker will be sadly missed by her son, Regge Walker; her step-daughter, Illinois State Representative Jil Tracy and her husband, Jim; her brothers, Larry Shafer and Tom Shafer (wife, Sandra); her grandchildren, Rob Tracy, Ben Tracy, Mark and Kelsey Tracy, and Kailey Walker; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Mary Lou Walker; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Mary Lou Walker as an expression of our sympathy.