HR0022 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0022 LRB096 04005 KXB 14903 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Reverend Doctor Philip Anthony Harley of Chicago, who passed away on December 23, 2008; and

WHEREAS, He was born on May 26, 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Elizabeth and Frederick Harley; he grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from Central High School; and

WHEREAS, He began his undergraduate studies at Gammon Theological Seminary and Clark College in 1941 and attended both until 1943; he served two years in the United States Navy beginning in October of 1944 and was honorably discharged; after his time with the Navy, he attended Morgan State College, where he completed his undergraduate degree; he enrolled in Temple University in 1947 and studied law for two years; he later received his calling to the ministry and in 1956 graduated from Garrett Theological Seminary and was ordained into the Methodist Church; he received his Doctorate of Theology from Evangelical Theological Seminary in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, He married Ireleen H. Jones in September of 1948; together they were blessed with seven children; and

WHEREAS, During his career he served in several conferences in the United Methodist Church, including Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, South Dakota, and Northern Illinois; he pastored St. James United Methodist Church, followed by serving on the program council staff of the Northern Illinois Conference; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Harley served on the faculty at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary as an associate professor of Field Education for 13 years; he served at the Chicago Religion Institute; upon his retirement from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary he pastored at Midlothian United Methodist Church; he later served as pastor at Ingleside-Whitfield United Methodist Church; he retired from the United Methodist Church in 1990, but continued to serve the Northern Illinois Conference; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Harley achieved a number of firsts in his pastoral career: he was the first African American appointed in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church; he was the first African-American minister appointed the Northern Illinois Conference Cabinet serving under the Bishop; and he was appointed the first African-American Minister of Education of the United Methodist Church in Mitchell, South Dakota; and

WHEREAS, He was one of the founding fathers of the Chicago Committee of Black Churchmen and the Black Caucus of the United Methodist Church, Northern Illinois Conference, which later became the Black Methodists for Church Renewal; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Harley was preceded in death by his father, Frederick; his step-father, Richard Mathis; his mother, Elizabeth Mathias; his wife, Ireleen; his daughter, Antoinette; and his son, Anthony; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Harley is survived by his sister, Rosalie Harley; his son, Richard (Bernette) Harley; his grandson, Christopher (Sara); his great-grandson, Elijah; his granddaughter, Con; his son, Michael (Brenda) Harley; his grandson, Christopher (Camille) Brown and great-granddaughter, Caitlin; his grandson, Patrick Brown; his son, Bruce (Debra) Harley; his granddaughter, Nicole; his great-granddaughter, Taylor; his grandson, Bryce; his daughter, Annette Harley; his daughter, Theresia (fiance, Larry Logan) Harley; his granddaughters, Jordan and Christian; his daughter-in-law, Martha Harley; his granddaughter, Melanie Jackson; his great-grandchildren, Jasmin, Byron, and Titus; his second cousins, Cecilia Grant and son, Jacinto, Caesar Grant, Marcia Grant, Levi Grant, Bobby Whitaker, and Rosie Whitaker; his caregiver, Debra Short; his companion, Linda Davis; his cherished best friend, Bishop Doctor Edsel Ammons; Al Ragland, Reverend Jim Mack; and Barbara Pryor Williams; and many others; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Reverend Doctor Philip Anthony Harley; and be it further

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