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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | ||||||
| 3 | learn of the death of Velvet Bailey Graves of North Chicago, | ||||||
| 4 | who passed away on January 29, 2017 at the age of 94; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Velvet Graves was born in Randolph County, Alabama | ||||||
| 6 | to George and Eliza Heard Bailey; and
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| 7 | WHEREAS, Velvet Graves was employed by The Goodwin/Simmons | ||||||
| 8 | family for over 60 years; she began with the family in 1947 in | ||||||
| 9 | Anniston, Alabama, moved with them to Washington, D.C. in 1953, | ||||||
| 10 | and then to Lake Forest in 1956; she married Robert Graves in | ||||||
| 11 | 1961; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, Velvet Graves was devoted to her own family, often | ||||||
| 13 | going back to Alabama to visit her brothers and sisters and | ||||||
| 14 | their extended families; she found great joy in attending | ||||||
| 15 | family reunions; she was always very supportive of her family | ||||||
| 16 | members, particularly her nieces and nephews, often having them | ||||||
| 17 | visit or even live with her in her house in Waukegan; and
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| 18 | WHEREAS, Velvet Graves was a loving member of the | ||||||
| 19 | Goodwin/Simmons family, having been with them throughout the | ||||||
| 20 | childhood of the Goodwin children, Andy, Barton, and Charlotte; | ||||||
| 21 | she played an active role in their upbringing and was a steady | ||||||
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| 1 | fixture in their household and lives; she was a devoted | ||||||
| 2 | employee, companion, and friend of Mrs. Richard Simmons, | ||||||
| 3 | remaining in her employ until her death in 2009; for the last | ||||||
| 4 | 10 years, she lived with Mrs. Elfreda Sproul of North Chicago, | ||||||
| 5 | who has been a warm and loving friend since 1968; and
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| 6 | WHEREAS, Velvet Graves was active in the church throughout | ||||||
| 7 | her life; she was devout in her belief and was a dedicated | ||||||
| 8 | reader of the Bible; and | ||||||
| 9 | WHEREAS, Velvet Graves was preceded in death by her | ||||||
| 10 | husband, Robert; and her siblings, Oran, Willie, Cloris, Heard, | ||||||
| 11 | and Emma; and | ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, Velvet Graves is survived by her brother, John T., | ||||||
| 13 | and a host of nieces, nephews, and other loving relatives and | ||||||
| 14 | friends; therefore, be it
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| 15 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 16 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
| 17 | Velvet Bailey Graves, and extend our sincere condolences to her | ||||||
| 18 | family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it | ||||||
| 19 | further
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| 20 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 21 | presented to the family of Velvet Graves as an expression of | ||||||
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| 1 | our deepest sympathy.
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