Full Text of SR1004 103rd General Assembly
SR1004 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | | | SR1004 | | LRB103 40746 LAW 73567 r |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION | 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | 3 | | to learn of the death of Karen Antoinette Pepper of Chicago, | 4 | | who passed away on August 15, 2023 at the age of 74; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper was born to Doris Marie (Dixon) | 6 | | Austin and Theodore Roosevelt Austin in Chicago on March 11, | 7 | | 1949; she was raised by her paternal grandmother, Luellen "Big | 8 | | Mama" Dorch Adams, and her step-grandfather, James "Pa-Pa" | 9 | | Adams; she graduated from Farragut High School in 1966, and | 10 | | she spoke highly of her classmates and participated in reunion | 11 | | events for many years thereafter; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper married William R. Pepper in 1969; | 13 | | once the union ended, they successfully co-parented four | 14 | | children who all built successful professional and personal | 15 | | lives for themselves; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper completed her postsecondary | 17 | | schooling at Rosary College and the University of Illinois | 18 | | Chicago School of Nursing; after developing a passion for | 19 | | interior design, she earned a certificate in interior design | 20 | | from Malcolm X College; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper's creative genius was on display |
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| 1 | | throughout Chicagoland; she held interior decorating roles at | 2 | | Montgomery Wards and Sears before ultimately retiring from | 3 | | Plunkett Furniture; she was also a talented seamstress, and | 4 | | her portfolio included prom dresses, wedding gowns, and choir | 5 | | robes; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper adored her family and friends, | 7 | | sending them birthday group texts filled with pictures and | 8 | | emojis; she was also available and willing to provide advice | 9 | | and prayer for anyone in need, and this goodwill resulted in | 10 | | multiple nicknames, including "Aunt Karen", "Mina", and | 11 | | "Special K"; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper was a member of multiple faith | 13 | | communities throughout her lifetime; she raised her four | 14 | | children in the Holy Family Catholic Church on Chicago's near | 15 | | West Side, where she was a member of the choir and served as | 16 | | president of the Holy Family Parish Council; she found a | 17 | | second spiritual home at the Apostolic Church of God on | 18 | | Chicago's South Side, where she continued singing as a choir | 19 | | member and taught Sunday school; and | 20 | | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper was known to prefer her food served | 21 | | "piping hot"; she also enjoyed gardening and games, pursuing | 22 | | the latter to keep her mind sharp; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper was preceded in death by her | 2 | | parents; her siblings, Theodore "Butch" Austin and Diana | 3 | | Schmakel; and her godmother, Maryann Jones; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, At the time of her passing, Karen Pepper was | 5 | | survived by her children, Desiree (Kenneth) Pepper-Venzant, | 6 | | DeShona (Alexander) Robertson, Donovan (Heidi) Pepper, and | 7 | | Devin (Alicia) Pepper; her grandchildren, Maimuna, Tacuma, | 8 | | Dakota, Dillon, William, Madilyn (Madi), and Lukas (Luke); her | 9 | | stepsister, Dr. Loretta Brunious; her uncle, William "Bill" | 10 | | (Florence) Dixon; her cousin, Deborah L. Dixon; her | 11 | | sister-in-law, Dr. Judith Austin; and countless nieces, | 12 | | nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; therefore, be it | 13 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | 14 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 15 | | Karen Antoinette Pepper and extend our sincere condolences to | 16 | | her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it | 17 | | further | 18 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 19 | | presented to the family of Karen Pepper as an expression of our | 20 | | deepest sympathy. |
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