HR0031 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0031 LRB096 05767 GRL 15842 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Hosea Peeples on the occasion of her 109th birthday; and

WHEREAS, Hosea Peeples was born in February of 1900 in Holcomb, Mississippi; she attended school at a one-room schoolhouse in the local Masonic Hall; on Sundays, she and her family went to the Tuscahoma AME Church in a wagon; while there, she sat on the "mourner's bench", accepted Christ, and was baptized at age 15; and

WHEREAS, In 1926, Hosea Peeples left home to join two older sisters who lived in Chicago; she found work as a domestic and sent money back home to help her family; in 1931, she met the love of her life, Gentry Peeples, whom she married in 1936; and

WHEREAS, Hosea Peeples was employed at Inland Steel for 32 years until her retirement; and

WHEREAS, In 1948, Hosea Peeples and her husband joined the Grant Memorial AME Church under the pastorate of Rev. Harvey E. Walden; she was recruited into the Gospel Choir the day she joined and later became choir president; and

WHEREAS, Hosea Peeples was involved in numerous activities at the Grant Memorial AME Church; she was involved in many fundraising efforts of the Gospel Choir and the Willing Workers Club; she currently serves as Class Leader of Class #8 and is a member of the Women's Missionary Society and the Sarah Hoffman Memorial Sunday School Class; and

WHEREAS, Hosea Peeples is the oldest member of a family blessed with great longevity, with her father living to the age of 107, her mother living to the age of 105, and her sister Edith living to the age of 106; and

WHEREAS, A birthday reception will be held in Hosea Peeples' honor on February 1, 2009 at 10:00 A.M. at the Grant Memorial AME Church; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Hosea Peeples on the occasion of her 109th birthday and wish her many happy and healthy years to come; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Hosea Peeples as a symbol of our esteem and respect.