| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
| ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | ||||||
| 3 | to learn of the death of Alderperson Linda McNeely of the | ||||||
| 4 | Rockford City Council, who passed away on April 24, 2023; and
| ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, Ald. McNeely was born to John and Juanita McNeely | ||||||
| 6 | in Rockford on September 16, 1955; she graduated from Auburn | ||||||
| 7 | High School in Rockford in 1973; she earned her associate's | ||||||
| 8 | degree from Wilbur Wright Junior College, her Bachelor of Arts | ||||||
| 9 | in Government from the University of Denver, and her Master of | ||||||
| 10 | Arts in Business from Roosevelt University; and
| ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, Ald. McNeely was a self-employed tax preparer | ||||||
| 12 | with Ameritax; and
| ||||||
| 13 | WHEREAS, Ald. McNeely worked in Chicago for nearly 20 | ||||||
| 14 | years before returning to Rockford in 1995 to care for her | ||||||
| 15 | aging parents, who were decades-long members of the United | ||||||
| 16 | Auto Workers (UAW) labor union; and
| ||||||
| 17 | WHEREAS, Ald. McNeely served as alderperson, representing | ||||||
| 18 | the 13th Ward, on the Rockford City Council for 26 years; | ||||||
| 19 | during her tenure, she served on several subcommittees; she | ||||||
| 20 | was regarded as both a dedicated public servant and a fierce | ||||||
| 21 | advocate for the 13th Ward from 1997 until her passing; and
| ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | WHEREAS, Ald. McNeely also served as a member of the | ||||||
| 2 | Illinois Democrat State Central Committee Women; in 2022, she | ||||||
| 3 | was a candidate for Illinois' District 17 in the U.S. House of | ||||||
| 4 | Representatives; and
| ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, Ald. McNeely was a member of Macedonia Baptist | ||||||
| 6 | Church; and
| ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, Ald. McNeely was a woman of strength, courage, | ||||||
| 8 | and insight who remained dedicated to her family and her | ||||||
| 9 | community; she will be remembered for her authenticity and | ||||||
| 10 | candor; and
| ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, Ald. McNeely was preceded in death by her | ||||||
| 12 | parents; her sisters, Anna Marie Pickett and Marie Hudson; and | ||||||
| 13 | her brother, Leon McNeely; and
| ||||||
| 14 | WHEREAS, At the time of her passing, Ald. McNeely was | ||||||
| 15 | survived by her nephews, Andrew McNeely, Lamont Hudson, Pierre | ||||||
| 16 | McNeely, Christopher Pickett, Hassan (Carla) Muhammad, and | ||||||
| 17 | Lawrence (Stephanie) Pickett; her niece, Lophina Thompson; her | ||||||
| 18 | great-nieces, Drewina, Jasmine, Kelli, and Asia; her | ||||||
| 19 | great-nephew, Anjulion; and a host of other relatives and | ||||||
| 20 | friends; therefore, be it
| ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | ||||||
| 2 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
| 3 | Alderperson Linda McNeely of the Rockford City Council and | ||||||
| 4 | extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all | ||||||
| 5 | who knew and loved her; and be it further
| ||||||
| 6 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
| ||||||
| 7 | presented to the family of Ald. McNeely as an expression of
our | ||||||
| 8 | deepest sympathy.
| ||||||