SR1030 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1030 LRB096 24277 KXB 43736 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Mrs. Bernice Thompson of Chicago, who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, She was born in Belzoni, Mississippi, on March 18, 1923, and live there until 1941; she made a public proclamation of her love of God at Stranger's Home Missionary Baptist Church in Isola, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, After moving to Chicago she worked in a government defense plant; she later worked for the fashion industry until retiring in 1988; she also opened a shop in her home where she created designs for weddings, proms, and other occasions; and

WHEREAS, She was a member of Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, where she served on the nurse's board and the missionary society; she was also a member of the Board of Director of the Melvin Powell Sr. Scholarship Fund; and

WHEREAS, She was especially close to her son and enjoyed watching him rise through the ranks of the Chicago Police Department and serve as interim alderman for the 9th Ward at the request of the Mayor of Chicago, taking a temporary leave from the Police Department; and when he was called to be a Deacon in the church, she was full of pride that he had been chosen for that task; she was also close to her grandson, Melvin Powell, Jr., whom she lovingly called "Tiger"; and

WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her husband, Deacon Otis Thompson; her son, Deacon Melvin Powell, Sr.; her parents; her 3 brothers and one sister; and

WHEREAS, She is survived by her brothers, Jose McCoy (Alma Jean) and Earnest James; her sister-in-law, Billie McCoy; her daughter-in-law, Dian M. Powell; her grandson, Melvin Powell, Jr.; her great-granddaughters, Ashley Dian Powell and Gabrielle Dyan Powell; her great-great-granddaughter, Taylor Diahann Sharon Hunter; her 11 nephews; her 10 nieces, including Ollie Bell Butler, Bernice Powell, and Deazaeree Guider; her God-daughter, Aretha Walker Morris; the family of her late husband; and a host of relatives, friends, and members of her church family; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Bernice Thompson; and be it further

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