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SR0559 |
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LRB096 16635 GRL 31911 r |
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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
Annie Jo Gordon of Peoria, who passed |
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| away on December 20, 2009; and
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| WHEREAS, Annie Jo Gordon was born on January 10, 1941, in |
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| Marion, Louisiana; her parents were George Lewis and Emma Lee |
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| (Williams) Hunter; she married Cleveland "Sonny" Gordon Sr. on |
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| November 22, 1969; and
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| WHEREAS, Annie Jo Gordon received her associate's degree |
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| from Illinois Central College in business management; she also |
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| studied the business curriculum at Midstate College; and
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| WHEREAS, Annie Jo Gordon had a long and distinguished |
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| career in community service, which spanned from 1961 to 2008; |
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| she was the first African-American employee to work at the |
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| Peoria Journal Star newspaper; she served with the National |
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| Corporation of Israel and served as secretary to the |
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| administrator of the American Red Cross Regional Blood Center; |
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| she rose through the ranks at the Peoria Tri-County Urban |
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| League, working various positions leading up to her role as |
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| director of employment; in 2006, she retired from the Peoria |
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| Tri-County Urban League after 41 years of service, but |
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| continued her service well into 2008; and
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SR0559 |
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LRB096 16635 GRL 31911 r |
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| WHEREAS, Annie Jo Gordon was a member of numerous community |
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| organizations; she was a past member and chairwoman of the |
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| Upgrade Board of Directors, the PCCEO, and the YWCA; she was a |
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| member of the American Cancer Society, the League of Women |
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| Voters, the District 150 School Board Advisory Committee, |
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| Easter Seals, and the Arts and Cultural Activities; she was |
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| also affiliated with the Heart of Illinois United Way Loaned |
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| Executive Program, the Peoria Chamber of Commerce Leadership |
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| School, the ICC Adult Re-Entry Council, the Apprenticeship |
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| Advisory Group, and the Christian Education Board; and
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| WHEREAS, Annie Jo Gordon was the recipient of numerous |
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| awards for her community service, including the Valeska S. |
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| Hinton Minority Advocacy Award, the Betty Osborn Award, the |
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| YWCA Leadership Award, and the Black Women's Network Award; and
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| WHEREAS, Annie Jo Gordon was a faithful member of New |
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| Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as a |
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| deaconess and member of the trustee board; and
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| WHEREAS, Annie Jo Gordon is survived by her husband, |
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| Cleveland Sr.; her sons, Joel Clayton Johnson Sr., Jonathan |
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| Lewis (Dedra) Johnson Sr., Jamal David (Rosie) Gordon, and |
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| Cleveland Lydell Gordon Jr.; her daughters, Shando (Don) |
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| Harris, Chantay (Corey) Gray, Antoinette Ramona (Cornelius) |
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SR0559 |
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LRB096 16635 GRL 31911 r |
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| Donald, and Jehan Alea Gordon (Derrick Booth); her foster sons, |
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| Marcus Demario Williams and Michael Dewayne Williams; her 12 |
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| grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; and her many other |
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| relatives and friends; therefore, 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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| her family and friends, the passing of Annie Jo Gordon; and be |
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| it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
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| presented to the family of Annie Jo Gordon as an expression of |
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| our sympathy.
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