Full Text of HR0930 100th General Assembly
HR0930 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Minnie | 4 | | Alford, who passed away on March 15, 2018; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Minnie Alford was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on | 6 | | May 1, 1915; she was a matriarch, a master seamstress, and, for | 7 | | over 40 years, the first lady of the Maywood Church of God in | 8 | | Christ (COGIC); she was in her mid 20s when her husband was | 9 | | appointed pastor of the church that became a community | 10 | | institution and a driving force in the evolution of Chicago | 11 | | Gospel music; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Minnie Alford treated the house of worship like | 13 | | her own home and stitched its drapes and chair covers with the | 14 | | same punctiliousness she put into making her family's clothes | 15 | | or laboring in an Oak Park home as a housekeeper; when the | 16 | | church needed to purchase its first organ, she sold baked goods | 17 | | alongside her "cooking buddy," Vera Grace; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Minnie Alford was a member of the church's Senior | 19 | | Choir, which was organized in 1948, the year of its first live | 20 | | radio broadcast; she wrote and sang lead solo on many of the | 21 | | choir's recordings; in the 1950s the choir began broadcasting | 22 | | live on Sunday evenings; eventually a daily broadcast, "The |
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| 1 | | Life-Giving Word," was also carried on radio stations; in 1969, | 2 | | the choir recorded its first 45 RPM, which was the beginning of | 3 | | many recordings that solidified its reputation for versatility | 4 | | and vocal disciplines; the choir eventually became known as the | 5 | | Progressive Radio Choir and was signed to Gospel record labels, | 6 | | won awards, and toured nationally and internationally; | 7 | | throughout the choir's success, she functioned as its de facto | 8 | | business manager and coordinated the choir's many tours, made | 9 | | hotel and flight arrangements, and offered a steady source of | 10 | | support for its members; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Minnie Alford planned resourcefully; each year | 12 | | she made calendars for choir members from Christmas wrapping | 13 | | paper; she had an innate ability to salvage life from whatever | 14 | | material was at hand; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Minnie Alford is survived by her three sons; her | 16 | | 11 grandchildren; her many great-grandchildren; and her | 17 | | extended family and friends; therefore, be it
| 18 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 19 | | HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 20 | | mourn the passing of Minnie Alford and extend our sincere | 21 | | condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved | 22 | | her; and be it further
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| 1 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 2 | | presented to the family of Minnie Alford as an expression of | 3 | | our deepest sympathy.
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