HR1351LRB097 23722 MST 72807 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Reverend 
4Austin W. Smith, Jr. of Chicago, who passed away on December 
512, 2012; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Reverend Smith was born in Pollocksville, North 
7Carolina, on September 17th, 61 years ago, to Austin and Minnie 
8Hicks Smith; he was the 7th of 9 children, affectionately known 
9as "Pete"; he attended Jones Central High School, Washington 
10Bible College, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where 
11he earned a Master's of Religion in Urban Ministry and a 
12Master's of Christian Studies; he married Shirley Small on 
13December 13, 1969; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Reverend Smith has served as senior pastor of 
15Compassion Baptist Church in Chicago for the past 20 years; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, Prior to becoming pastor of Compassion Baptist 
17Church, Reverend Smith served as director of the Agape 
18Community Center, a ministry of Here's Life Inner City; he most 
19recently served on the board of Converge Mid America; and
  
 
  
20    WHEREAS, Before beginning full-time work in the ministry, 
21Reverend Smith worked for the Kiplinger Washington Editors in 
 
 
HR1351- 2 -LRB097 23722 MST 72807 r

1Washington, D.C. as a computer programmer-analyst; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Reverend Smith was preceded in death by his 
3parents, Austin and Minnie Smith; his son, Sean; and his 
4brother, Charles; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Reverend Smith is survived by his wife of 42 
6years, Shirley; his children, Sauda, (Duane) Porter, Faith, 
7Stephen, and James; his grandchildren, Jasmine, Joy, Hope, and 
8Jovanni Austin; his siblings, Harriett (Jesse), Robert (Sadie) 
9Barbara (Robert), Karen, Jacquelyn (Ronald), Delphine 
10(Sherman), and Graylin (Barbara), his cousins, nieces, 
11nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews; the congregation of 
12Compassion Baptist Church; and a host of brothers and sisters 
13in Christ and friends; therefore, be it
  
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
15NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
16we mourn the passing of Reverend Austin W. Smith, Jr., and we 
17extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all 
18who knew and loved him; and be it further
  
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
20presented to the family of Reverend Austin Smith, Jr. as an 
21expression of our deepest sympathy.