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SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 
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learn of the death of Robert Irvine "Bob" Grubbs of Peoria, who 
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passed away on October 16, 2009; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, He was born on April 12, 1922, in Richmond, 
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Kentucky, to Abram Grubbs and Verlean Irvine; he was married to 
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his high school sweetheart, Mary Frances Chenault, on July 15, 
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1943, in their hometown of Richmond, by the Reverend Titus 
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Bennett; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, He graduated in 1942 from Richmond High School in 
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Kentucky, where that year he was a member of the state 
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championship basketball team; he went on to join the United 
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States Army, where he became a corporal with the 4208th Quarter 
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Master Service Company serving in the Asiatic, Pacific, and 
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Southwest Corridors during World War II; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, He was a carpenter by trade and was a member of 
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the Richmond carpenters union; he also worked for the Bluegrass 
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Ordinance; he later settled his family into the Peoria 
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community where he worked for Keystone Steel and Wire as a 
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steel inspector, retiring in 1984 after 25 years of service; he 
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was a community activist, civil servant, and notary for over 50 
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years and was also a life member of the NAACP; Bob and Mary 
 


 






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Grubbs were inductees into the African-American Hall of Fame 
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Museum in 1992 for Community Service; and
 
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    WHEREAS, He accepted Christ at age 11 at the First Baptist 
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Church in Richmond; he was a former member, trustee, and 
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treasurer, when the mortgage was paid off, at New Morning Star 
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Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. 
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Dr. Calvin C. Hightower; he was a faithful member for 16 years 
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of Prince of Peace Missionary Baptist Church, where he was a 
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charter member, trustee, and treasurer; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; 
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one brother and one sister; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, He leaves to cherish his precious memories his 
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loving children, Bobby J. (Julia) Grubbs, Cecil I. Grubbs, and 
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Marilyn L. Henning; his grandchildren; his 18 
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great-grandchildren; his five great-great-grandchildren; his 
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seven god-children; his sisters-in-law, Eva (Charles) Holk and 
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Phyllis Chenault; his cousins, Edna Finley, Joseph Irvine, and 
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Hazel Hankerson; his Prince of Peace Church family; and a host 
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of other relatives and friends who dearly loved him; therefore, 
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be it
  
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with 
 


 






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his family and friends, the passing of Robert Grubbs; and be it 
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further
  
 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Robert Grubbs as a symbol of our 
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sincere sympathy.