SR1379 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1379 LRB101 21898 ECR 72861 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Eliza House of Lockport, who passed away on June 28, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Eliza House was born to Cicero and Bertha Bullock in Edgecomb County, North Carolina on December 30, 1923; she was a talented student and participated in school district competitions for public speaking, sports, and dance while in high school; in her last year of high school, she moved to Portsmith, Virginia to work for the wartime National Youth Administration in the Navy yard; while there, she also attended classes in the evening and met her future husband, Deacon Thomas R. House; and

WHEREAS, After moving to Lockport, Eliza House began working various jobs; at one point, she obtained her beauty license and began doing hair in her kitchen on the weekends; she also worked for S.W. Sickles and then in the maintenance department at Caterpillar Tractor Co. in Joliet; she become the first female security guard at Caterpillar and retired from Caterpillar after 27 years of service; and

WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Eliza House became a founding member of The Order of the Eastern Star, Ruth Chapter #9; in the late 1960s, she played on the Caterpillar women's baseball and basketball teams; she was a proud and active member of Shiloh MB Church, where she served in the Senior Choir and Greater United Choir, managed the children's choir for many years, was a Sunday school teacher for over 30 years, and was a member of the Home Mission Ministry; after retirement, she served as a foster grandparent at Fairmont Elementary School and did other volunteer work at the school into her 80s; and

WHEREAS, Eliza House lived her life with a great commmitment to excellence; she loved to travel and felt particularly blessed to visit Israel in the 1980s; and

WHEREAS, Eliza House was preceded in death by her husband, Deacon Thomas R. House; her parents, Cicero and Bertha; her son, Tommy House; and nine siblings; and

WHEREAS, Eliza House is survived by her siblings, Elizabeth Washington, Clarence Bullock, and David Bullock; her children, Rhonda Bailey, Richard (Robbie) House, Lorna House, and Bryan (Leah) House Sr.; her grandchildren, Carlos Hayes, Tamekeyo (Sinatra) Griffin, Tanya House, Kaleah Bailey, Brenton Bailey, Rishawn House, Ryan House, Brittney House, Bryan House Jr., Jory House, Rakelle House, Brooklyn House, Liam Gulmi, and Marcus House; and her host of great-grandchildren, 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 Eliza House 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 Eliza House as an expression of our deepest sympathy.