HR0986 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0986 LRB094 19711 BDD 56259 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Edna Burrell Perry, an influential educator in the City of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, She was born in Washington, D.C., to Annie and Harold F. Burrell; she married Sidney L. Perry in 1954; and

WHEREAS, Education always played a major role in Mrs. Perry's life; at the age of 15, she was hired at the Library of Congress as a clerk in the Russian transliteration department; later, she taught a business class at her high school while she was a student there; and

WHEREAS, In 1952, Mrs. Perry enrolled at Howard University in Washington, where she sang in the choir and studied music education; she graduated first in her class in 1956, and she later earned a master's degree in early childhood education from Roosevelt University; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Perry and her husband, Sidney, moved to Chicago in 1957, and she began her teaching career in 1958 at Healy Elementary School in Bridgeport; and

WHEREAS, When she started at Healy Elementary School, Mrs. Perry was the first African-American teacher at any school in Bridgeport, where, initially, some students' parents took them out of her class, but after many of her pupils excelled, parents were fighting to get their children in her classroom; and

WHEREAS, In 1962 she moved to Wacker Elementary School, where she taught second grade; she eventually became assistant principal and was principal for several years until she retired in 1994; and

WHEREAS, A woman born ahead of her time, she had a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a keen interest in nutrition and alternative methods of healing; her involvement as a health care products distributor became a vehicle for an international multicultural team with a mission to improve the health of others; prior to the popularity of nutritional counseling she stressed the importance of daily vitamin and herbal supplementation and the connection between the foods consumed and the body's overall wellbeing; and

WHEREAS, Her pursuits where not limited to her career, but also included involvement in a number of organizations: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, National Pharmacists Association Auxiliary with two terms as President (1977-1979 and 1990-1993), Chicago Pharmacist Association Auxiliary President (1969-1974), American Cancer Society, and the Black Creativity Gala Committee of the Museum of Science and Industry, General Chairperson (2003); and

WHEREAS, After retiring, Mrs. Perry continued to serve as minister of music at Church of the Good Shepherd, as she had since she and her husband moved to Chicago; she held the position for 47 years and was the church's longest continuous employee; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Edna Burrell Perry will be felt by all who knew and loved her, especially her husband, Sidney L. Perry Jr.; her daughters, Angela Perry (Michael Banks) and Andrea Perry-Williams (Lemuel Williams); her sister, Edith Henderson; her Brother James Burrell (Doris); her granddaughters, Lauren R. Banks and Michelle R. Williams; her sister-in-law, Hortense Canady (Dr. Clinton Canady); her father-in-law, Jones E. Franklin; her brother-in-law, Kevin E. Franklin; her uncle, Smallwood Harrison; her aunt, Odessa Harrison (Clarence); and her many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that that we mourn, along with all who knew and loved her, the death of Edna Burrell Perry; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Edna Burrell Perry as an expression of our sympathy.