HR0948 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0948 LRB095 18831 KXB 45109 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Reverend Kenneth B. Smith Sr., of Chicago, who passed away on January 21, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Smith was born in Montclair, New Jersey, on February 19, 1931, the fifth child of Dorothy and William Smith; he received his Bachelor's degree in history from Virginia Union University and his Master's degree at Drew University; he came to Chicago in the 1950s, worked for the Wabash Avenue YMCA, and received his divinity degree from Bethany Theological Seminary in Oak Brook in 1960; and

WHEREAS, After his ordination in the United Church of Christ, he served as assistant minister at the Congregational Church of Park Manor and was the founding pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ; he later served in the Chicago Community Renewal Society and as senior pastor at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Congregational, in Washington Park; he was a national figure in the reform of the United Church of Christ in the 1970s, and was named chairman of the national executive committee in 1971; and

WHEREAS, In 1984, he became president of the Chicago Theological Seminary, a position he held until 1998; while president, he helped attract new talent to the school's teaching and administrative positions and helped the school achieve better financial stability; his devotion to religious studies was acknowledged by the Chicago Theological Seminary with the naming of the Kenneth B. Smith Chair in Religious Studies in his honor; he was also awarded the Graham Taylor Award in Public Ministry by the Seminary for his devotion and dedication; and

WHEREAS, His devotion to the public included serving as Adolescent Council Member for the Carnegie Corporation, New York; serving on former President Clinton's Taskforce on Teen Pregnancy; serving on the Visiting Committee of the University of Chicago School of Social Administration; serving on the Board of the National Center for the Humanities, the Board of the Community Development Corporation of Bank of America, Illinois, the YMCA Metropolitan Board of Managers, the AARP Andrus Foundation Board of Trustees, and serving as Treasurer of the United Way of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, In addition, Reverend Smith also was a former board member of the Illinois Service Federal Savings and Loan Associates and worked with the Chicago Urban League; he served as a Trustee to both DePaul University and Talledega College; he was also a senior fellow of the Chicago Community Trust; in 1979 he was appointed to the Chicago Board of Education and served for one year as president of the Board, working to desegregate Chicago schools and fix financial problems; and

WHEREAS, His many honors include being named Volunteer of the Year from the United Way of Chicago and Humanitarian of the Year from the Abraham Lincoln Center; his eight honorary doctorates include ones bestowed by Roosevelt University and Chicago State University; he was named Urban Leaguer of the Year by the Chicago Urban League; in addition, he received many other honors and awards for his lifetime of service to others; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Reverend Kenneth B. Smith Sr. will be deeply felt by his wife of thirty-seven years, Gladys Smith; his sons, Kenneth B. Smith, Jr. and Kristen B. Smith; his daughter, Kourtney (Luther) Montgomery; his sisters, Juanita Smith, Hettie Smith, and Hester Robinson; his brother, Peter Smith, Sr.; and his grandchildren, Kenneth B. Smith III, Kara Smith, Kevin Smith, Kara Montgomery, Kelsey Smith, and Luther Montgomery; he will be remembered as a kind and faithful gentleman by those that knew him; 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, friends, and the many people whose lives were touched by him, the passing of Reverend Kenneth B. Smith Sr.; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Reverend Smith as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.