HR0431 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0431 LRB100 12822 MST 26477 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the passing of William "Bill" Drew of Waukegan, who passed away on May 14, 2017 at the age of 69; and

WHEREAS, William Drew contributed an enormous amount to his community of McKinley Park and the greater southwest side of Chicago, where he lived, loved, organized, and nurtured the community for the past 38 years; and

WHEREAS, William Drew has touched the lives of hundreds of individuals throughout his longstanding fight for justice and social change; during his college days, he was involved in the anti-war movement at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; in 1972, he moved to Milwaukee where he became the editor of the Milwaukee Worker, where he organized and wrote stories about the struggles of the factory workers and minorities in the Cream City; and

WHEREAS, William Drew moved to Chicago in 1979 where he taught English as a second language to Mexican immigrants at Robert Fulton Elementary in the Back of the Yards, and where he also worked as an intake counselor for dislocated factory workers of the stockyards; it was in this neighborhood that he met his beautiful wife, Gloria, whom he described as "incredibly strong, hard-working, and disciplined and the best thing that ever happened to me"; and

WHEREAS, William Drew was a tireless activist and leader, always pushing ahead with ways to make a positive difference in people's lives; he had multiple talents; he was a computer programmer and a tenacious and thoughtful organizer; during his later years, he worked furiously to create a space where McKinley Park residents could come together and use their collective power to improve their community and to fight for the rights of working families; this effort, which he named the McKinley Park Progressive Alliance, later morphed into the creation of the 12th Ward Independent Political Organization - which has propelled community engagement and served as an epitome for civic engagement in other wards of the southwest side of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, One of William Drew's greatest talent was his ability to find ways to collaborate and build relationships with people far and wide; there are few people who have had such a profound impact in the political empowerment of working and immigrant communities in the southwest side of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, William Drew's spirit and legacy live on in the hearts of the hundreds of people whose lives he touched; he is survived by his wife, Gloria, and his two sons, Richard (Ricky) and William D. "Billy" Drew Jr. - whom he often referred to as his "biggest pride and joy"; and his siblings, Nora Renzulli, Jane Waller, and John Drew; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of William "Bill" Drew, and extend our most sincere condolences to this family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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