HR0841 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0841 LRB102 27274 LAW 39061 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Jessie Teen (Spurlin) Foster, who passed away on April 7, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Jessie Foster was born to Olivia and Owen Spurlin in Lexington, Mississippi on May 4, 1935; she began her formal education in a small, one-room schoolhouse in Lexington, Mississippi; she relocated to Chicago with her family when she was a teenager and continued her education at Farragut High School, where she was voted best dressed in her senior year; she attended the Secretarial College in Chicago; she married Curtis Foster in July 1954, and they had seven children; and

WHEREAS, Jessie Foster, early in her marriage, spent her time as a devoted wife, mother, and daughter; in addition to being a mainstay in her children's lives, she was also an integral part of the caregiving her mother received during the last years of her mother's life; she later became a proud and loving grandmother, ensuring her grandchildren had a fulfilling and loving childhood; and

WHEREAS, Jessie Foster was active in a number of organizations, including the Girl Scouts and the PTA; she served as chairman of the West End Block Club in Chicago; as her children grew older, she started working for the Chicago Public School across the street from her home; and

WHEREAS, Alongside her husband, Jessie Foster embarked on a new entrepreneurial journey in the 1980s, and their business, Foster and Foster Construction, landed multiple contracts, which included HUD, ComEd, and the City of Chicago; at that time, she also attended Triton College for computer programming, which helped with the expansion of the business; she retired to spend more time with her family after her husband's passing in 1993; and

WHEREAS, Jessie Foster had a taste for adventure; she traveled with her daughters and grandchildren extensively, both internationally and domestically; her curiosity and adventurous spirit made her ready for anything, from parasailing in Hawaii to Segway journeys in downtown Chicago; she traveled to a number of places, including Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Belize; she most recently traveled back to Venice; and

WHEREAS, Jessie Foster committed to her faith at an early age; she was affectionately known as "Bae-Doll" as the youngest child of her family, a nickname that stayed with her throughout her life; and

WHEREAS, Jessie Foster was the wife of Curtis Foster; the sister of Anderson Spurlin (Modell), Owen Spurlin (Lena), Amelda Thomas (Lee), Mildred Leonard (Charles), and Amanda Watkins (William); the mother of Andre Foster (Barbara), Grace Foster, Valerie Deere (Charles), Donna Foster, Dorrie Foster, Olivia Foster, and Devon Toliver (Steven); the grandmother of Andre Foster, Kristen Clower (Michael), Alicia Denton (Arien), Jennifer Davis, Valerie Donoso (Ismael), Curtis Foster (Linnea), Raja Zahid (Courtney), Baleace Ashley Foster, Joshua Toliver, Elijah Toliver, and Caleb Toliver; the great-grandmother of 11; the aunt of a host of nieces and nephews; and the friend of many; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Jessie Teen (Spurlin) Foster 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 Jessie Foster as an expression of our deepest sympathy.