SR0081 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0081 LRB094 10622 HSS 40963 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with sadness of the death of the Reverend Abraham Byrd of St. Louis on Thursday, February 3, 2005; and

WHEREAS, Pastor of St. James Baptist Church of Alton, Reverend Byrd was one of 13 children of Arthur and Carrie (Cutliff) Byrd; he was born December 26, 1915, in Stonewall, Louisiana; and

WHEREAS, He married the former Dorothy Dooley in Pittsburg, Texas; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Byrd retired as manager of the bookstore at Washington University; he attended Eden Seminary in Webster Groves and was ordained on May 17, 1953; he served as pastor of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Robertsville, Missouri, for 17 years and had been at St. James for the past 33 years; and

WHEREAS, Active in the community, he was a member of the Alton Area Ministerial Alliance and a board member of the Alton Mental Health, Family Services, and Visiting Nurse Association, the Salvation Army, and St. Clare's Hospital, and he was active with other community agencies; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Reverend Abraham Byrd has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Dorothy; his son, Eddie Byrd, and his wife, Della; his grandchildren, Brian Byrd and his wife, Joy, and Kelly and Brandon Byrd; and his great-grandsons, Simon and Devon Byrd; he was preceded in death by his parents and 12 siblings; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Reverend Abraham Byrd, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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