SR0894 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0894 LRB097 22520 MST 71284 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are deeply saddened to learn of the death of James M. Bailey Sr. of Alton, who died on August 10, 2012; and

WHEREAS, James Bailey Sr. was born on May 5, 1915, in Trenton, Gibson County, Tennessee, to James A. and Rachel Ophelia (Midgett) Bailey; he married Mary Louise Simmons on October 30, 1938, in Marshall, Missouri; they were married for 73 years and had 2 sons, Dr. James "Jimmy Joe" M. Bailey Jr. and Judge Duane L. Bailey; and

WHEREAS, James Bailey Sr. graduated from Vashon High School in St. Louis in June 1935 and was later inducted into their hall of fame; he graduated from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1939, with a bachelor of science degree in education; he was the first person to pledge the Eta Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity at Lincoln University and was later inducted into their hall of fame and received their Distinguished Alumni Award; he received a masters of science degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 1948; and

WHEREAS, James Bailey Sr. began his career in education as a teacher and coach at Garfield High School in Mexico, Missouri; he served the Alton school district for 3 years as a teacher, coach, junior high school assistant principal, junior high school principal, and administrative supervising principal of elementary schools; he served 10 years with the district as the assistant principal of Alton High School and assistant to the superintendent of schools; and

WHEREAS, In 2006, the library at the new Alton High School was named the James M. Bailey Library; he was elected to the city council as the first African-American alderman for the city of Alton, which he served for 10 years; he was appointed as Alton's first African-American comptroller, in which capacity he served for 6 years; and

WHEREAS, James Bailey Sr. was active in many organizations throughout his lifetime; he was co-founder of the Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial, organizer and first chairman of the board of the Madison County Equal Economic Opportunity Commission, organizer for the Madison County Headstart Program, and board member and chairman for the Hayner Public Library Board; he was a member of the Alton-Wood River chapter of the American Red Cross, the St. Louis Metro-East Higher Education Coordinating Council Advisory Committee, East-West Gateway Advisory Committee, the ad hoc committee to promote legislation to establish Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, the ad hoc committee to organize and promote the referendum to establish Lewis and Clark Community College-Godfrey; he was a past chairman of the Selective Service Board of Appeals of Southern Illinois and past member of St. Joseph's Hospital Advisory Committee; and

WHEREAS, James Bailey Sr. was a charter member of the Unity Fellowship Church and was a former member of Allen Chapel AME Church, where he served as a trustee and treasurer; he received many awards for his community service, including the Alton Human Relations Award, Brotherhood Award, Alton Community Citizens Award, Lovejoy Human Rights Award, NAACP's Outstanding Citizen Award, Madison County Urban League Award, 100 Black Men Award, Illinois Association Club Women, Inc. "Man of the Year" Award, and the Kimmel Leadership Award; and

WHEREAS, James Bailey Sr. was preceded in death by his parents, James A. and Rachel Ophelia Bailey; his brothers, Raymond, Gilbert, and Robert Bailey; and his sisters, Gladys Ellis, Claris Burnett, and Claudine Lewis; and

WHEREAS, James Bailey Sr. is survived by his wife, Mary Louise; his sons, Dr. James (Michelle) Bailey and Judge Duane L. (Lois M. Holmes) Bailey; his granddaughters, Tori R. Bailey, Laruen T. Bailey, and Carmen L. Bailey; his grandson, James M. Bailey III; his great-granddaughters, Sacha N. Brown and Elona M. Williams; his brother and sisters-in-law, Jasper Simmons, Richard (Sallie) Simmons, and Martha A. Green; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, and a special niece, Nancy Clark; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of James Bailey Sr., and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of James Bailey Sr. as an expression of our deepest sympathy.