HR1539LRB099 24208 MST 51929 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Joseph W. 
4Freelon, the first African American mayor of Maywood; and
  
 
  
5    WHEREAS, Joseph Freelon was a Chicago school teacher and 
6real estate salesman; he was elected mayor of Maywood on April 
77, 1981 after defeating newspaper publisher, Ronald Saunders, 
8by just 23 votes in an eight-person race; the  recount, and 
9other, related legal battles, lasted more than a year after 
10election; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, Joseph Freelon served two terms as mayor from 1981 
12to 1989; he  won a third term as mayor in the 1993 election; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Joseph Freelon was active in his community; he 
14headed up the deacon's board at Second Baptist Church in 
15Maywood; in 2014, he was appointed to the Maywood fire and 
16police pension board; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, Joseph Freelon's wife, Gladys, established the 
18Maywood Village beautification committee; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, Joseph Freelon had two children, Gawana Freelon, 
20and Joseph Freelon Jr. VFP; therefore, be it
  
 
 
 
HR1539- 2 -LRB099 24208 MST 51929 r

1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
2NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
3mourn the passing of Joseph W. Freelon, and extend our sincere 
4condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved 
5him; and be it further
  
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
7presented to  the family of  Joseph Freelon as an expression of 
8our deepest sympathy.