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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Reverend | ||||||
| 4 | John L. Gibson Sr., who passed away on May 27, 2026; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, Rev. Gibson, the son of the late Rev. Spencer and | ||||||
| 6 | Alberta Gibson, was born in Leland, Mississippi on July 21, | ||||||
| 7 | 1939; he joined the ministry early in life, earning a degree in | ||||||
| 8 | Christian training from United Baptist Theology Seminary and a | ||||||
| 9 | Bachelor of Theology from the Illinois Missionary Baptist | ||||||
| 10 | Institute and Seminary; and | ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, Rev. Gibson, senior pastor of Rising Sun | ||||||
| 12 | Christian Church, led with vision, compassion, and unwavering | ||||||
| 13 | devotion for 48 years; he guided the organization, formerly | ||||||
| 14 | Rising Sun Baptist Church, through a renaming intended to | ||||||
| 15 | reflect greater religious inclusivity and the construction of | ||||||
| 16 | its new location in 1991; and | ||||||
| 17 | WHEREAS, Rev. Gibson was not only a powerful preacher but | ||||||
| 18 | also an anointed psalmist whose voice brought comfort, | ||||||
| 19 | strength, and healing during altar calls and at homegoing | ||||||
| 20 | services; his heartfelt rendering of the song "I Won't | ||||||
| 21 | Complain" became his signature testimony of faith and | ||||||
| 22 | perseverance, leaving an indelible mark on all who heard him; | ||||||
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| 1 | and | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, Rev. Gibson made an impact far beyond church | ||||||
| 3 | walls, acting as a mentor, counselor, and pillar of the | ||||||
| 4 | community; he championed youth empowerment, advocated for | ||||||
| 5 | social justice, and fostered healing across generations; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, Rev. Gibson shared his musical gifts as a lead | ||||||
| 7 | singer and bass player for the Midwest Singers, a group known | ||||||
| 8 | for delivering powerful gospel music throughout the region; | ||||||
| 9 | his band recorded an album featuring a variety of songs, | ||||||
| 10 | including "Something On My Mind" and "He's All Right", under | ||||||
| 11 | Golden Voices Records in 1971; and | ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, Rev. Gibson's legacy will live on in the | ||||||
| 13 | countless lives he touched through prayer, preaching, and | ||||||
| 14 | song; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, Rev. Gibson was preceded in death by his first | ||||||
| 16 | wife, Victory A. Jackson-Gibson; his sons, Kerry Cornell | ||||||
| 17 | Gibson, Kary Lester Gibson, and Kevin John Gibson; his | ||||||
| 18 | stepson, Bruce Cockfield Jr.; and his grandson, Jamanni M. | ||||||
| 19 | Gibson; and | ||||||
| 20 | WHEREAS, Rev. Gibson is survived by his wife, Gigi M. | ||||||
| 21 | Hamilton-Gibson; his children, Kimberly Parker and Kayretha | ||||||
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| 1 | Parker; his stepchildren, Andriea A. Cockfield, Natasha R. | ||||||
| 2 | Cockfield, and Nicole (DeMarcus) McNeil; and many | ||||||
| 3 | grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, church | ||||||
| 4 | members, and spiritual sons and daughters; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 5 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 6 | HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 7 | we mourn the passing of Reverend John L. Gibson Sr. and extend | ||||||
| 8 | our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who | ||||||
| 9 | knew and loved him; and be it further | ||||||
| 10 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 11 | presented to the family of Rev. Gibson as an expression of our | ||||||
| 12 | deepest sympathy. | ||||||