SR0267 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0267 LRB101 10696 MST 55808 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Vater Mae Fite, who passed away on January 17, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Vater Fite was born in Carthage, Texas to Marvin and Selma Connor on September 28, 1914; she was baptized at the age of 7 at Mt. Zion CME Church in Carthage; she attended Carthage Colored High School and was a lifelong student; she married J.C. Lilly; and

WHEREAS, Vater Fite moved to California during World War II and worked as a welder of Navy battleship parts; she was proud of the distinction of being a female welder; she married Grady Fite; in 1950, upon the death of her second husband and the conclusion of WWII, she settled in Maywood to be near her children; and

WHEREAS, Vater Fite worked for the State of Illinois as a senior caregiver and retired after 30 years of service; she returned to Texas to be a caregiver to her mother until her passing; she then returned to Oak Park to reside with her sister; in 2015, she moved to Plainfield, where she resided for several years with her son and daughter-in-law; she then moved to Alden of Waterford in Aurora; and

WHEREAS, Vater Fite was a wonderful cook, loved music, and had a wry sense of humor; she pursued many artistic endeavors, including teaching herself to play the violin, sewing, sculpting, wood carving, and painting; she attended courses at the Art Institute of Chicago to master the art of watercolor and oil painting; she participated in local art programs and her work was recognized in the Oak Leaves newspaper; she was a Featured Artist at the New Oak Park Public Library and was an active member of the Oak Park Arms senior group and the Oak Park Arts Council; and

WHEREAS, Vater Fite was remembered on her 100th birthday by the Governor of Illinois and President of the United States Barack Obama; and

WHEREAS, Vater Fite was affectionately known as "Grand"; she was an avid reader and loved to travel; she was a lifelong baseball fan and cheered on her favorite team, the Chicago Cubs, as they won the World Series in 2016; she enjoyed family gatherings filled with music, games, debates, and a good nip of gin; she was present at every family milestone, vacation, and holiday; and

WHEREAS, Vater Fite lived long enough to see her great-great-grandchildren and to become matriarch of a large extended family that includes Illinois State Representative Camille Lilly and great-grandson Evan Turner, a basketball phenom at St. Joseph High School in Westchester and who plays in the NBA for the Portland Trail Blazers; and

WHEREAS, Vater Fite was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Grady; her siblings, Herese, Inez, and Leon; her daughters, Vater Jo, Billie June, and Gloria Marvis; and her grandson, Darius LeRoi Lilly; and

WHEREAS, Vater Fite is survived by her son, LeRoy (Barbara) Lilly; her grandchildren, Jerome Goodman, Iris James, Camille Lilly, Brian Lilly, Karen (Jasmyn) Lilly, Kevin Neal (Jackie), and April Braggs (Vincent); her great-grandchildren, Richard, Darius, Evan, Briana, VJ, Briaja, and Brian II; her great-great-grandchildren, Richard II and Aubrey; her nieces, Joy Bell and Melody Conners; and numerous great-nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Vater Mae Fite and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

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