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| | SR0418 | | LRB104 15245 ECR 28395 r |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened |
| 3 | | to learn of the death of Betty Jean Odum of Anna, who passed |
| 4 | | away on September 1, 2025; and
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| 5 | | WHEREAS, Betty Odum, the daughter of Reverend Tracy T. and |
| 6 | | Sylvia McCord, was born in Harrisburg on November 27, 1927; |
| 7 | | she attended Shelbyville High School; she received a Bachelor |
| 8 | | of Science in Education with a minor in music from Olivet |
| 9 | | Nazarene College; she married James W. Walker in Roxana in |
| 10 | | 1945, and they had two children, James Tracy Walker and Jil |
| 11 | | Walker Tracy; she later married Dr. Don Odum, and they had one |
| 12 | | child, Matthew Odum; and
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| 13 | | WHEREAS, Betty Odum devoted her life to teaching, earning |
| 14 | | a Master of Science in Education from Southern Illinois |
| 15 | | University Carbondale; she taught English at Carbondale High |
| 16 | | School, where she also served as the faculty sponsor of the |
| 17 | | Dial yearbook for many years; after raising her children, she |
| 18 | | returned to teaching, dedicating herself to adult education |
| 19 | | well into her 80s; and
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| 20 | | WHEREAS, Betty Odum was a woman of deep faith and a gifted |
| 21 | | musician who served as a church pianist throughout her life, |
| 22 | | retiring from her role as pianist of the Anna Church of the |
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| | SR0418 | - 2 - | LRB104 15245 ECR 28395 r |
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| 1 | | Nazarene in her 90s; she taught adult Sunday school for |
| 2 | | decades and shared her music with residents of The Voyages in |
| 3 | | Anna; she was also devoted to worldwide mission work through |
| 4 | | her church; and
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| 5 | | WHEREAS, Betty Odum was known for her unwavering devotion, |
| 6 | | her kindness, and her fierce love for her family; and
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| 7 | | WHEREAS, Betty Odum was preceded in death by her parents; |
| 8 | | her husband, Dr. Don Odum; and her son, James Tracy Walker; and
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| 9 | | WHEREAS, Betty Odum is survived by her daughter, Jil |
| 10 | | Walker Tracy; her son-in-law, Jim Tracy; her daughter-in-law, |
| 11 | | Tamra Walker; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren; |
| 12 | | therefore, be it
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| 13 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL |
| 14 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of |
| 15 | | Betty Jean Odum and extend our sincere condolences to her |
| 16 | | family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it |
| 17 | | further
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| 18 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
| 19 | | presented to the family of Betty Odum as an expression of our |
| 20 | | deepest sympathy. |
