HR1068

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Mary Lou 
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Walker of Carbondale, who passed away on March 17, 2010; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker was born on September 4, 1930, in 
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Hurst; she was the daughter of Eugene "Shine" Shafer and Erma 
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"Keyes" Shafer; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker graduated from Hurst-Bush High 
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School in 1948; in 1965, she became the first woman to graduate 
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from Southern Illinois University with a degree in mortuary 
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science; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker married James W. Walker in 1962; 
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the couple shared 35 years of marriage until his passing on 
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June 19, 1997; Mary continued to operate the couple's funeral 
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home business, Walker Funeral Homes, P.C., until her passing; 
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and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Walker Funeral Homes, P.C., was founded in 1950 by 
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James W. Walker; the organization was first established in 
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Carbondale and later expanded to 2 additional locations in 
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Hurst and Alto Pass; and
 
 


 






HR1068
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    WHEREAS, During her tenure as operator of Walker Funeral 
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Homes, Mary Lou Walker established the first licensed crematory 
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in the Southern Illinois Region by a family-owned funeral home; 
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and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker took great pride in operating the 
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funeral business with her husband and her son, Regge, and 
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considered helping families in time of grief her life's 
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passion; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker was a member of the Illinois 
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Funeral Directors Association, the National Funeral Directors 
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Association, CANA, the Egyptian Funeral Directors Association, 
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the Ladies Auxiliary of the Elks Club of Carbondale, the Ladies 
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Auxiliary of the Eagles Club of Carbondale, and the Hurst Lions 
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Club Auxiliary and Rotary; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Lou Walker was preceded in death by her 
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husband and her son, James Tracy Walker; and
 
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    WHEREAS,

Mary Lou Walker will be sadly missed by her son, 
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Regge Walker; her step-daughter, Illinois State Representative 
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Jil Tracy and her husband, Jim; her brothers, Larry Shafer and 
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Tom Shafer (wife, Sandra); her grandchildren, Rob Tracy, Ben 
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Tracy, Mark and Kelsey Tracy, and Kailey Walker; therefore, be 
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it
  
 
 


 






HR1068
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Mary 
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Lou Walker; and be it further
  
 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Mary Lou Walker as an expression of 
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our sympathy.