SR0885 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0885 LRB099 13148 MST 37037 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Carolyn Hope McMahon of Champaign, who passed away on July 7, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Carolyn McMahon was born in Lansing, Michigan on May 17, 1929 to Hope and Ellsworth Reamon and moved shortly thereafter to Syracuse, New York; she graduated from St. Lawrence University with honors and was certified as a religious educator by St. Lawrence Theological School; from 1950 to 1951, she had a Danforth Graduate Fellowship at the University of Iowa; she married Walter W. McMahon on June 17, 1951; and

WHEREAS, Carolyn McMahon was Religious Education Director at the Universalist Church in Wausau, Wisconsin while her husband served in the military; they lived in London, England, while her husband was at the London School of Economics and then settled in Urbana in 1957; and

WHEREAS, Carolyn McMahon continued her first career as Director of Religious Education from 1957 through 1963 at the Unitarian-Universalist Church in Urbana; she was active in the community as rental chair for the Fair Housing Bureau and board Chair of the United Nations Association; over the years, she was a member of the International Women's Year Committee, a teacher's aide for blind children, served as a UNICEF Chair, the Chair of the Commerce Women's Club Board, and a member of the University Newcomer's Board; she and her family's lives were greatly enriched by living abroad during successive sabbaticals in London; Washington, D.C.; Paris; Rotterdam; Stockholm; and Rottingdean, England; and

WHEREAS, Carolyn McMahon's second career began after she completed her master's degree in library science at the University of Illinois and became librarian at King School in Urbana from 1976 to 1978 and then librarian at the National Council of Teachers of English from 1981 through 1996; and

WHEREAS, Carolyn McMahon and her husband enjoyed their travels together throughout Europe, Africa, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Japan, China, Central America, Chile, and Argentina, and winter vacations in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; she cherished the annual family reunion each August and was active in many social groups; she was an avid reader and passionate gardener, and enjoyed entertaining and spending time with her wonderful family; and

WHEREAS, Carolyn McMahon is survived by her husband, Walter; her sister, Judy Ingison; her daughter, Lynn Hanson and Lynn's husband, Michael; her daughter, Vicki Avril and Vicki's husband, Gary; her son, Christopher McMahon and Christopher's wife, Katherine; her daughter, Jennifer Ellis and Jennifer's husband, Jon; her 9 grandchildren; her 4 great-grandchildren; and her 4 nieces and nephews and their families; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Carolyn Hope McMahon, and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

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