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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 
3learn of the death of Donald L. Williams Sr., who passed away 
4on July 9, 2018; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Donald Williams was born to Kelly Augustus "Great 
6Granddaddy Gruff" Williams and Nana Mamie on April 28, 1926, 
7one of four children along with Ernest, Clifford, and Arlean; 
8while in high school he  played football, ran track, and played 
9the violin; he won the science award and graduated in 1944; he 
10graduated from Howard University in 1949 with a pharmacy 
11degree; he married Mercedes Williams and they had five 
12children; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, Donald Williams opened his first pharmacy in 
14Pittsburgh; he relocated to Chicago and eventually joined the 
15Berger Pharmacy in Maywood, which he and a partner purchased in 
161963; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, Donald Williams sold his share of the pharmacy 
18business and began his second career in the insurance industry 
19as the only insurance company selling policies to people of 
20color in Maywood; he married Ora Dee Peppers, one of the first 
21black realtors to sell homes in Maywood; together they created 
22Donora Realty and sold real estate and State Farm insurance; 
 
 
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1and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, In the 1980s, Donald Williams continued his 
3education at the Moody Bible Institute and at the Billy Graham 
4Center  in Wheaton; he was ordained as minister at his home 
5church of Second Baptist; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Donald Williams was elected mayor of Maywood in 
71991 and served one term; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Donald Williams served on the board for the First 
9National Bank and as president of the West Suburban Chapter of 
10the NAACP; and
 
  
11    WHEREAS, The Village of Maywood continues to be important 
12to the family of Donald Williams; his granddaughter, Dawn 
13Williams-Rone is president of the Maywood Park District Board, 
14continuing her grandfather's legacy of service to the Village; 
15therefore, be it
  
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL 
17ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of 
18Donald L. Williams Sr., and extend our sincere condolences to 
19the grandchildren he leaves behind, his friends, and all who 
20knew and loved him; and be it further
  
 
 
 
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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
2presented to  the family of  Donald Williams as an expression of 
3our deepest sympathy.