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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | ||||||
| 3 | to learn of the death of Riley L. Owens III, the former Mayor | ||||||
| 4 | of Centreville, who passed away on September 30, 2025; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, Riley Owens III received a bachelor's degree in | ||||||
| 6 | geography from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and | ||||||
| 7 | he was a lifelong member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; he | ||||||
| 8 | served in the United States Air Force; and | ||||||
| 9 | WHEREAS, Riley Owens III was a five-term Mayor of | ||||||
| 10 | Centreville, and his first mayoral term marked the beginning | ||||||
| 11 | of a lifetime of advocacy; he became a founding member of the | ||||||
| 12 | National Conference of Black Mayors, underscoring his | ||||||
| 13 | commitment to collaboration and urban development; and | ||||||
| 14 | WHEREAS, Riley Owens III's leadership extended beyond | ||||||
| 15 | Centreville; he chaired the East St. Louis Area Development | ||||||
| 16 | Gateway Coordinating Council, and he served on the board of | ||||||
| 17 | the Katherine Dunham Center for Arts and Humanities in East | ||||||
| 18 | St. Louis and on the 50th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of | ||||||
| 19 | Education Commission, promoting justice and equality; and | ||||||
| 20 | WHEREAS, Among his many achievements, Riley Owens III was | ||||||
| 21 | especially proud of his presidential appointments, which | ||||||
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| 1 | included serving as a local board member of the Selective | ||||||
| 2 | Service System for Illinois in 1999 and later as a district | ||||||
| 3 | appeal board member in 2014; over the years, he earned the | ||||||
| 4 | respect of individuals across the political spectrum and had | ||||||
| 5 | the honor of meeting Presidents Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, | ||||||
| 6 | and George W. Bush; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, Riley Owens III was a familiar face in the Tulane | ||||||
| 8 | Terrace neighborhood of Centreville, where he lived with his | ||||||
| 9 | family until his passing; he was often seen biking through the | ||||||
| 10 | streets or walking to his parents' home for a morning cup of | ||||||
| 11 | coffee; and | ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, Riley Owens III found joy in creating work that | ||||||
| 13 | celebrated his African American heritage, including carving | ||||||
| 14 | masks, flutes, and other works; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, Riley Owens III was a pillar of his community who | ||||||
| 16 | lived his life defined by public service; he leaves behind a | ||||||
| 17 | lasting legacy of leadership and devotion to the people of | ||||||
| 18 | Centreville and the greater region; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 19 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 20 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
| 21 | Riley L. Owens III, the former Mayor of Centreville, and | ||||||
| 22 | extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all | ||||||
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| 1 | who knew and loved him; and be it further | ||||||
| 2 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 3 | presented to the family of Riley Owens III as an expression of | ||||||
| 4 | our deepest sympathy. | ||||||