HR0928 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0928 LRB095 18788 GRL 44914 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of John F. Stroger Jr., who passed away on January 18, 2008; and

WHEREAS, John F. Stroger Jr. was born on May 19, 1929 in Helena, Arkansas; his parents were John and Ella (Jones) Stroger; and

WHEREAS, John F. Stroger Jr. graduated from Eliza Miller High School in 1949; after graduation, he attended Xavier University of Louisiana, the only black Catholic university in the nation, earning a degree in accounting; he taught school, coached basketball, and worked closely with the NAACP, where he vigorously fought for the abolishment of poll taxes; and

WHEREAS, At his mother's urging, John F. Stroger Jr. moved to Chicago in 1953, where he became involved in Chicago's South Side Democratic Party; there, he went under the tutelage of political legends such as William Dawson, Ralph Metcalfe, and Harold Washington; during this time, he met and fell in love with Yonnie Rita; together, they had three children, Yonnie Lynn, Hans Eric, and Todd Herman; and

WHEREAS, John F. Stroger Jr. was appointed as an assistant auditor with the Municipal Court of Chicago in 1954; he served as personnel director for the Cook County Jail from 1955 to 1961; while working as a financial director of the State of Illinois Department of Revenue, he earned his law degree from DePaul University College of Law in 1965; and

WHEREAS, In 1968, John F. Stroger Jr. was elected Chicago's 8th Ward Committeeman, where his love of people and politics catapulted the ward to one of the highest vote-getting wards in the city; after his election to the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 1970, he went on to chair every major committee, including the Finance, Health, Building, and Zoning committees; and

WHEREAS, In the early 1990s, John F. Stroger Jr. united with the League of Women Voters in order to establish single-member district representation in Cook County; his work to make county commissioners more visible, accountable, and accessible earned him the nickname "Father of Districting"; thanks to his monumental efforts, single-member district representation became a reality in 1994; and

WHEREAS, In 1994, John F. Stroger Jr. was elected to serve as the first African-American president of the Cook County Board and Forest Preserve District, a position he served faithfully for 12 years; as president, he balanced multi-billion dollar budgets, launched a domestic violence courthouse, instituted a Juvenile Drug Court, appointed a Commission on Women's Issues, and opened an AIDS treatment and research facility; in 2002, he was instrumental in the creation of a state-of-the-art hospital, which was later named after him in his honor; and

WHEREAS, John F. Stroger Jr. was a past president of the National Association of Counties; he was appointed by former President Bill Clinton to serve on the Advisory Committee On Intergovernmental Relations; he also had a deep relationship with the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; and

WHEREAS, John F. Stroger Jr. was a longtime member of St. Felicitas Catholic Church; and

WHEREAS, John F. Stroger Jr. was preceded in death by his parents and his son, Hans Eric; and

WHEREAS, John F. Stroger Jr. is survived by his wife; his daughter, Yonnie Lynn (LaRon); his son, Todd Herman (Jeanine); his grandchildren, Hans Eric and Claire Monique; and his many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; and

WHEREAS, John F. Stroger Jr. will be remembered by all who knew and loved him as a compassionate, loyal, and strong man whose willingness to help the disenfranchised was legendary; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of John F. Stroger Jr.; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of John F. Stroger Jr. as an expression of our sympathy.