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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Kent Williamson of Champaign, who passed
4away on June 7, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Kent Williamson was born in Urbana to Joseph M.
6and Doris O. Williamson; he attended Leal and Thomas Paine
7elementary schools, Jefferson Middle School, and Champaign
8Centennial High School; he earned a bachelor's degree in
9advertising in 1980 and a master's degree in political science
10in 1982, both from the University of Illinois; after
11graduating, he spent several months serving with the Peace
12Corps in the Kingdom of Tonga; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Kent Williamson worked for the National Council of
14Teachers of English (NCTE) for 28 years, beginning in 1984; he
15served as Executive Director of the American Dairy Science
16Association from 1999 to 2001; he then returned to NCTE as
17Executive Director, a position he occupied for 14 years; and
 
18    WHEREAS, While at the NCTE, Kent Williamson spearheaded the
19establishment of the organization's office in Washington,
20D.C.; in 2006, and in 2011, he led the effort to create the
21National Center for Literacy Education; he is credited with
22guiding NCTE through the Great Recession, revolutionizing its

 

 

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1structure, modernizing member services, and cultivating its
2advocacy outreach structure; in recognition of his outstanding
3contributions to the NCTE and the field of English/language
4arts and literacy education, the organization renamed its
5Washington, D.C. office the "Kent D. Williamson Policy and
6Advocacy Center" and established the Williamson Policy
7Advocate Summer Residency in Washington, D.C. for P-16
8classroom teachers seeking experience in education policy; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Kent Williamson served on the board of the
10Champaign-Urbana Schools Foundation; he actively volunteered
11throughout the Champaign-Urbana area and coached all 3 of his
12sons in soccer, basketball, and baseball; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Kent Williamson is survived by his wife of 33
14years, Lori; his 3 sons, Andy, Blake, and Evan; and his 3
15brothers, Joseph M. Williamson, Jeffrey Williamson, and Earl
16Lawrence "Larry" Williamson; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
18ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
19Kent Williamson, and extend our sincere condolences to his
20family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
21further
 
22    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

 

 

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1presented to the family of Kent Williamson as an expression of
2our deepest sympathy.