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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Gerald "Gerry" Brighton of Urbana, who
4passed away on February 13, 2016; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Gerald Brighton earned his bachelor's degree in
6accounting with honors that included the Bronze Tablet Award at
7the University of Illinois in 1941; he served in the United
8States Army Air Corps during World War II and then returned to
9the university as a graduate student, earning a Master of
10Science in 1947 and his Ph.D. in Accounting in 1953; his
11doctoral dissertation, "The Social Responsibility of Public
12Accountants", signaled his lifelong commitment to public
13service; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Gerald Brighton married Lois in 1949; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Gerald Brighton was appointed Assistant Professor
16of Accounting in 1954, Associate Professor in 1957, and full
17Professor in 1969; he was appointed to the endowed position of
18Ernst and Whinney Distinguished Professor of Accountancy in
191983; and
 
20    WHEREAS, From 1946 until his retirement from the university
21in 1988, Gerald Brighton served as doctoral adviser to 30 Ph.D.

 

 

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1candidates and taught innumerable accounting students; he
2remained active in campus affairs throughout his career and
3after retirement as a member of the Faculty Senate; the
4Advisory Committee to the Board of Trustees of the State
5University Retirement System; the Faculty Benefits Committee;
6the General University Policy Committee; the Athletic Board;
7the Calendar Committee (Chair); the University YMCA Board of
8Directors (24 years); and as associate head of the Department
9of Accounting; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Gerald Brighton's professional honors include
11Ph.D. Alumnus of the Year from the Accountancy Graduate
12Students Association (1983); AACSB Faculty Fellow (1978-1979);
13Touche Ross Curriculum Development Grant (1978); Phi Beta
14Sigma; Beta Alpha Psi; Beta Gamma Sigma; Phi Kappa Phi; life
15membership in the Illinois CPA Society; and the Nestigen Alumni
16Award from the University YMCA; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Gerald Brighton was elected as Alderman of the
18Fifth Ward of Urbana in 1967 and became one of six Democrats on
19the 14-member city council; during his first year in office, he
20proposed to outlaw real estate practices that were preventing
21African-Americans from buying or renting property in "white"
22neighborhoods; due to his efforts, the Urbana City Council
23passed both a Fair Housing Ordinance and an ordinance
24establishing the Urbana Commission on Human Relations; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Gerald Brighton and his wife were active members
2of the Wesley Methodist Church for more than 57 years, during
3which Gerald handled the church's accounting and Lois taught
4Sunday school to generations of children; for these and many
5other service activities, Wesley Methodist Church honored
6Gerald and Lois with its Peace and Justice Award in May of
72005; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Gerald Brighton is survived by his five children,
9Anne Robin (Allan) Koslofsky, Bill Brighton (Andrea Wolfman),
10Joan Brighton, Jack (Rosanne) Brighton, and Jeff (Robin)
11Brighton; his seven grandchildren; and many international
12students attending the University of Illinois through the
13International Student Hospitality Program; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
15ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
16Gerald "Gerry" Brighton, and extend our sincere condolences to
17his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
18further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to the family of Gerald Brighton as an expression of
21our deepest sympathy.