SR0295 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0295 LRB101 11821 ALS 58718 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Ingrid Surette (Cravens) Smith of Decatur, who passed away on March 22, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith was born in Chicago to Charity and Hancy Cravens on September 29, 1948; she moved to Decatur with her parents when she was a toddler; she attended Durfee Elementary School and Woodrow Wilson Junior High School and graduated from Douglas MacArthur High School in 1966; she continued her academic pursuits at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana; in May of 1988, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Management from Sangamon State University, now the University of Illinois-Springfield; she married Walter E. Smith Sr. in November 1992; and

WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith worked at Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) for 42 years; her roles included sales, marketing, transportation and logistics, and project management; and

WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith was driven by a passion that demanded equity and inclusion for individuals affected by social, economic, health, and racial disparities; she led and actively participated in organizations that supported the goal of improving the quality of life for several city, state, and national victims of inequity; she was a volunteer, an activist, and a thoughtful leader who wanted people to march beside her not behind her; these characteristics led her to make Decatur feel like home for natives and newcomers; and

WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith served in leadership roles on many boards, including as a past president of the Decatur Chapter of the NAACP, a past president of the Springfield-Decatur Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a vice chairperson of the Finance Committee and Trustees for St. Peter's A.M.E. Church, first Vice President and Parliamentarian of the Illinois Conference Women's Missionary Society, and the first black female member of the National Honor Scholarship Society; she was also a member of the Decatur Human Relations Commission, the Women's Golf Association, and the Metro Black Chamber of Commerce; in recent years, she was a trained domestic violence advocate at DOVE, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith was generous with her knowledge, her time, and her talents; she loved her family; she was a confidant, friend, mentor, advocate, and coach to many; and

WHEREAS, Ingrid Smith is survived by her husband, Walter E. Smith Sr.; her daughter, Bridget (James) Cravens-Neely; her sister, Kim Cravens Nicholson; her brothers, Bobby Cravens and Chris Cravens; her nephews, Zachary (Kiana) Cravens and Dexter Cravens; her great-niece, Aiden; her stepchildren, Dana Hosea, Gerrett Smith, and Walter E. (Alicia) Smith Jr; her grandchildren, James Jr., Julian, Jaden, ShaQuan, Maresa, Shakur, Jakobie, Rylei, Alyasha, Mikiah, and Joliyah; her great-grandson, Davion; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; and her many nieces, nephews, and close family friends; 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 Ingrid Surette (Cravens) Smith 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 Ingrid Smith as an expression of our deepest sympathy.