Full Text of SR0350 102nd General Assembly
SR0350 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | SR0350 | | LRB102 18144 MST 25517 r |
|
| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | 3 | | to learn of the death of Janet Denise Kelly, who passed away on | 4 | | April 11, 2021; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly was born in Chicago to Rev. Robert | 6 | | and Marie Kelly on October 3, 1955; she committed to her faith | 7 | | at an early age and later joined Cathedral Missionary Baptist | 8 | | Church; she grew up singing the gospel in the church choir and | 9 | | alongside her gifted sisters, known as The Kelly Sisters; she | 10 | | attended John Farren Elementary School and Jean Baptiste | 11 | | Pointe DuSable Upper Grade Center; in 1973, she graduated from | 12 | | Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable High School, where she was active | 13 | | in numerous clubs and especially enjoyed playing the clarinet | 14 | | in the band and being a member of the cheerleading and pom-pom | 15 | | squads; and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly received her Bachelor of Science in | 17 | | Child and Family Services in 1979 from Southern Illinois | 18 | | University-Carbondale, where she became a member of Sigma | 19 | | Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in 1974; she received her Master of | 20 | | Social Work from Chicago State University in 2006; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly was instrumental in choreographing | 22 | | some of Sigma's most memorable on-campus performances at SIU |
| | | SR0350 | - 2 - | LRB102 18144 MST 25517 r |
|
| 1 | | from 1975 to 1978; she and four college friends entered Kappa | 2 | | Karnival's annual talent show and called themselves Sax Fifth | 3 | | Avenue; upon returning home to Chicago, she continued singing | 4 | | and established a group known as The Goddesses, which | 5 | | performed at local venues across the city; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly loved working with children, | 7 | | especially as the morning and after-school coordinator; her | 8 | | positions included ABJ Community Services (Licensing and | 9 | | Permanency Specialist, Case Manager), Metropolitan Family | 10 | | Services (Resource/Program Coordinator, Practitioner), and | 11 | | Catholic Charities & Heartland Human Services (Case Manager); | 12 | | she mentored, produced, and directed many musicals and plays | 13 | | to raise funds for several agencies over the years; she | 14 | | especially enjoyed producing the adaptation of The Wiz; she | 15 | | retired from the social services field in 2019; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly spread the gospel across the airwaves | 17 | | on WVON radio station every Sunday at 7 p.m. for 25 years with | 18 | | the Mother Meatchem Radio Choir; she sang background vocals | 19 | | for recording artists and was a trained pianist and played the | 20 | | clarinet; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly's hobbies included playing tennis, | 22 | | interior decorating, and making jewelry; she worked part time | 23 | | for Park Lane Jewelry and was an avid collector of art; for |
| | | SR0350 | - 3 - | LRB102 18144 MST 25517 r |
|
| 1 | | several years she was an art consultant for Artistic | 2 | | Impressions; her ultimate hobby was shopping, and QVC and HSN | 3 | | were two of her favorite channels; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly thoughtfulness held no bounds when it | 5 | | came to family; if a family member was in need, she would | 6 | | forsake her wants to make sure that their needs were met; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly was preceded in death by her parents | 8 | | and her sister, Renee Kelly; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly is survived by her daughter, Janea | 10 | | Smith; her grandson, Jamari White; her sisters, Diane | 11 | | (Lawrence) Kent and Rev. Debra Kelly; her brother, Bernard | 12 | | Kelly; her half-brother, Ricky (Barbara) Kelly; her | 13 | | half-sister, Linda Kelly; her cousin, Bill (Dee Dee) Driver; | 14 | | her nephews, Juan Gordon, Corey Criss Sr. (Tammy), Doniel | 15 | | Kelly (godson), and Darren Kelly; her nieces, Keena (Norris) | 16 | | Robinson and Robin Thacker; her great-nieces and nephews; her | 17 | | best friend, Sandra R. Kelly; her special friend, Arnold | 18 | | "Ernie" McBlackwell; her close friend, Gloria Styles; and | 19 | | numerous friends that she loved dearly; therefore, be it
| 20 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL | 21 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 22 | | Janet Denise Kelly and extend our sincere condolences to her |
| | | SR0350 | - 4 - | LRB102 18144 MST 25517 r |
|
| 1 | | family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it | 2 | | further
| 3 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 4 | | presented to the family of Janet Kelly as an expression of our | 5 | | deepest sympathy.
|
|