SR0949 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0949 LRB100 14906 MST 29731 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Frances Marie Cramer of Rantoul, who passed away on September 24, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Frances Cramer was born in Danville to George and Olive (Francis) Magers on November 9, 1920; she attended grade school in Westville and graduated from Georgetown High School in 1938; she earned her teaching certificate at Eastern Illinois State Teachers College; and

WHEREAS, Frances Cramer taught elementary school in Martinsville until she married Ernest F. "Bud" Cramer on December 31, 1941; and

WHEREAS, Frances Cramer loved reading and continuing her education; she completed a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Illinois University and one from the University of Illinois in liberal arts and in Christian education; she supported the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Museum for Women in the Arts, Baroque Artists of Champaign-Urbana, and programming on public radio and TV; she regularly attended concerts in the area and rarely missed an event at the Krannert Center; she listened to opera on WILL every Saturday; and

WHEREAS, In 1969, Frances Cramer was on the founding committee for the Clothing Center in Rantoul run by Church Women United; she served as its volunteer director for over 30 years; and

WHEREAS, Frances Cramer was a longtime member of Rantoul First United Methodist Church, where she served as a Sunday school teacher, a delegate to the annual conference, and held local and district leadership positions in the Wesleyan Service Guild, Church Women United, and United Methodist Women; and

WHEREAS, Frances Cramer received several awards, including the Champaign County Friend of the Family Award in 1977, the Diana Award for Exceptional Service to Humanity in 1980, the Rantoul Citizen of the Year in 1995, and the Church Women United Valiant Woman Award in 2000; she received the Tolly-Cramer award in 2006 from the Methodist Federation for Social Action for lay persons engaged in social justice ministries; and

WHEREAS, Frances Cramer was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 56 years, Ernest; her daughter, the Rev. Jean Cramer-Heuerman; her son-in-law, Jack Cramer-Heuerman; and her grandson, Stephen Brockway; and

WHEREAS, Frances Cramer is survived by her daughter, Mary Jo (Lowell) Brockway; her grandson, John (Angela) Brockway; her great-granddaughters, Abigail Marie and Aliana Grace; her "adopted daughters", the Rev. Janet Eggleston and Kathy Finney; her special friend, Lavonne Smith; and numerous nieces, a nephew, and great- and great-great-nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Frances Marie Cramer, and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Frances Cramer as an expression of our deepest sympathy.