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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate Lorrine Elizabeth Smith 
4on the occasion of her 100th birthday on September 6, 2015; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Lorrine Smith was born on September 6, 1915 in 
6Buffalo Hart to Orville and Minnie (nee English) Artis; her 
7twin sister, Corrine, came 15 minutes earlier; along with her 
8brothers, Ashley and D'Arcy, the family settled in Springfield; 
9she and her sister attended Lincoln Public School and were 
10among 3 African-Americans to graduate from Springfield High 
11School in 1931; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, Lorrine Smith moved to Chicago and married George 
13Oliver Smith in 1940; they lived on the South Side and operated 
14a tailor shop; she moved back to Springfield while her husband 
15served in the United States Navy during World War II; her son, 
16George Allan was born in 1944 and her daughter, Janice Ellen 
17was born in 1946; after the war, they settled in Chicago and 
18opened a cleaning and tailoring shop; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, Lorrine Smith always had music a part of her life; 
20her brother played guitar and she was part of a musical 
21quartet, the J and A Melody Maids, along with 2 other sisters; 
22her children all played a musical instrument and she sang in 
 
 
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1the choir at the local church; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Lorrine Smith worked for the University of 
3Chicago's School of Social Service Administration, the Chicago 
4Board of Education, and for the Bishop of the Northern Illinois 
5Conference of the United Methodist Church; she retired in 1980 
6and continued to work for her local church; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Lorrine Smith enjoys westerns, golf, and 
8traveling around the world; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Lorrine Smith has 4 grandchildren, Paul, Derren, 
10Marcus, and Kristen; one great-granddaughter, Paula; one 
11great-great-granddaughter, Rhea; and a great-granddaughter on 
12the way; therefore, be it
  
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
14NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
15congratulate Lorrine Elizabeth Smith on her 100th birthday, and 
16we wish her many more wonderful years; and be it further
  
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
18presented to Lorrine Smith as an expression of our esteem and 
19respect.