SR0831 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0831 LRB104 22238 RMO 38567 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Richard Bowen Jr., who passed away on May 22, 2026; and

WHEREAS, Richard Bowen, the son of Richard Bowen Sr. and Helen Valree Vaughn Bowen, was born in Colp on April 20, 1942; he committed to his faith at an early age and was baptized by Reverend John Davis at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church; he attended Attucks Grade School and Herrin Township Public Schools, where he was an all-state football player and participated in a variety of clubs, including Key Club and Student Business Club; while attending college, he was drafted into the United States Army and served in Kissingen, Germany for two years; he then earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and his Master of Science in Finance and Business from Purdue University's Krannert School of Management; and

WHEREAS, After moving to Springfield with his family, Richard Bowen taught accounting at Lincoln Land Community College and mentored the campus chapter of Brothers on Campus, a group of young Black men meeting to discuss career decisions and enhance life skills; after 30 years of service, he retired as chair of the Business and Public Services Department in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Richard Bowen remained active in his retirement, becoming a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) trainer and conducting training programs at airports around the nation; and

WHEREAS, Richard Bowen was a longtime member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church; he served on the Illinois Educators Credit Union Board and participated in a variety of community organizations, including the Springfield Coalition on Dismantling Racism (SCODR), NAACP, Springfield Veterans Center, and American Legion Post 809; he held leadership roles in several groups, having been a past president of Springfield Optimist Club and Springfield Frontiers Organization; and

WHEREAS, Richard Bowen loved spending time with his family and was always there to celebrate accomplishments, offer encouragement, and give advice; he enjoyed taking his grandson to cultural activities and events, such as Frontiers Positive Youth Development (PYD) field trips to the University of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Richard Bowen was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Bernard Bowen and Lionel Kincaid; his grandparents; his aunts; his niece and nephew; and several cousins; and

WHEREAS, Richard Bowen is survived by his wife of 56 years, Cleatia B. Rafe-Bowen; his son, Gerald Bowen; his daughter, Chantel Y. Bowen; his grandson, Alexander Blaze Taylor; three sisters, Rosetta Bowen-Thompson, Yvonne Jenay Bowen, and Darla Kincaid; his brother, Leonard (Lydia) Bowen; his brother-cousin, Denver (Mary) Powers; and many cousins and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Richard Bowen Jr. and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Richard Bowen as an expression of our deepest sympathy.