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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 Thomas E. Johnson, who passed away on | ||||||
| 4 | April 13, 2020 at the age of 69; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson earned a bachelor's degree from | ||||||
| 6 | American University and a law degree from Harvard Law School; | ||||||
| 7 | and
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| 8 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson met his wife, Leslie Ann Jones, in | ||||||
| 9 | 1975; they met while working together at the Legal Assistance | ||||||
| 10 | Foundation, where they provided free legal services for | ||||||
| 11 | impoverished people; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson left the Legal Assistance | ||||||
| 13 | Foundation to start his own firm, which is now called Johnson, | ||||||
| 14 | Jones, Snelling, Gilbert & Davis; and
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| 15 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson had a commitment to social justice | ||||||
| 16 | and helping disadvantaged people on both a personal as well as | ||||||
| 17 | a professional level; and
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| 18 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson worked throughout his career to | ||||||
| 19 | establish affordable housing in Chicago and to reform the | ||||||
| 20 | city's voter registration and electoral system; and
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| 1 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson represented numerous elected | ||||||
| 2 | officials, which included serving as campaign lawyer for Mayor | ||||||
| 3 | Harold Washington and U.S. Congressman Jesus "Chuy" Garcia; and
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| 4 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson served as a hearing officer for the | ||||||
| 5 | Chicago Police Board, where he presided over many high profile | ||||||
| 6 | police misconduct cases; and
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| 7 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson represented many people within the | ||||||
| 8 | labor movement and secured restitution for many coal miners who | ||||||
| 9 | suffered from black lung disease; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson was deeply committed to his faith, | ||||||
| 11 | and his dedication to helping others was rooted in that faith; | ||||||
| 12 | and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson was passionate about finding | ||||||
| 14 | secure, loving homes for children in need; he coached dozens of | ||||||
| 15 | Oak Park children in T-ball and welcomed numerous foster | ||||||
| 16 | children into his home; and
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| 17 | WHEREAS, Thomas Johnson is survived by his three sons, Ben | ||||||
| 18 | Johnson, Charlie Johnson, and Jake Johnson; and his godson, | ||||||
| 19 | Chris Hampton; therefore, be it
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| 1 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | ||||||
| 2 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
| 3 | Thomas E. Johnson and extend our sincere condolences to his | ||||||
| 4 | family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | ||||||
| 5 | further
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| 6 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 7 | presented to the family of Thomas E. Johnson as an expression | ||||||
| 8 | of our deepest sympathy.
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