SR0007 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0007 LRB099 03647 MST 23657 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Ronnie Cruzat Lewis of Dolton, who passed away on December 3, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Ronnie Lewis was born in Lexington, Mississippi on December 22, 1944 to Ulysses and Mirian Lindsey Lewis; he graduated from the Lexington Attendance Center and Tennessee State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education; he earned his Master of Arts in Administration and Supervision from Roosevelt University in Chicago; he married Mary Blackwell on June 22, 1968 in Indianapolis, Indiana; and

WHEREAS, Ronnie Lewis worked as a teacher and administrator at Harlan Community Academy for over 30 years, where he served as acting principal, assistant principal, department chairperson, and summer school program manager; while there, he also served as Chairperson of the Professional Personnel Advisory Committee, as Union Representative for the Chicago Teachers Union, and as Chairperson of the Professional Problems Committee; in May of 1998, he was endorsed by the Chicago Board of Education at Chicago State University; he retired as assistant principal in 2000; and

WHEREAS, Ronnie Lewis settled his family in the Village of Dolton in 1980, becoming one of the few African American families in the village; in 1991, he became the first African American trustee; he was appointed interim mayor in November of 2008 and was elected mayor in April of 2009; as mayor of Dolton, he was committed to improving the quality of life; he placed an emphasis on job creation, public safety, public participation, and infrastructure improvement; and

WHEREAS, Ronnie Lewis took the first of many trips to Ghana in 2007; he helped provide books, laptops, and infrastructure improvements for clean water; as part of African tradition, he was appointed Chief of Dodofie and given the Kingship name Nana Osabarimba; in 2012, the first water borehole was built in Kadjebi, and in 2014, it was named the "Mayor Ronnie Lewis Borehole"; and

WHEREAS, Ronnie Lewis was preceded in death by his parents and step-parents, Ulysses and Louise Dixon Lewis and Athaniel and Mirian Lindsey Moody; and

WHEREAS, Ronnie Lewis is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mary; his twin daughters, Angeline G. Lewis and Angelique K. Lewis; his brother, Lawrence Lewis; his sister, Angela Y. Moody; his uncle, Fred J. Lindsey; his 2 aunts, Edna Antee Lewis and Muriel Lindsey Sullivan; his 3 godchildren, Joni West Driver, Natalie Mingo, and Willis Arnold Harris, III; his 2 brothers-in-law, Herschell Lavell and Howard (Towannda) Means; his 4 sisters-in-law, Alaine Lewis, LaNatta Means, Twana Clark (Danny) Gurien, and Carolyn Means; and many other loving relatives and treasured friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Ronnie Cruzat Lewis, and 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 Ronnie Lewis as an expression of our deepest sympathy.