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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Chester
4Slaughter, who passed away on December 23, 2018; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Chester Slaughter was born in Chicago to Freida
6Williams on January 25, 1943; he attended William Shakespeare
7Elementary School and graduated from Hyde Park High School in
81961, where he excelled as a student and was a standout
9two-sport athlete in football and track; he graduated from
10Tennessee State University in 1965, where he was a member of
11Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Beta Omicron Chapter, and
12received his Juris Doctorate in 1968 from the Howard University
13School of Law, where he participated in the Howard Law Journal;
14he married Ruth M. Willis, and they settled in Chicago; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Chester Slaughter had a distinguished 46-year
16career as an attorney, legal expert, community advocate,
17political advisor, and mentor; he was part of the firms of
18Howard, Mann, & Slaughter, Smith & Sumner, Lyle & Slaughter,
19and Chester Slaughter & Associates; he was known as a fierce
20competitor in the courtroom, had a reputation for being
21exceptionally knowledgeable about the law, and always
22aggressively fought for his clients to receive their due
23process; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Chester Slaughter also worked as Cook County
2Assistant State's Attorney, General Counsel for the Maywood
3Park District, and hearing officer for the Cook County
4Metropolitan Water Reclamation District; he was involved with
5the Cook County Bar Association, where he served as past
6President; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Chester Slaughter was a social justice advocate
8and believed in justice and employment for African Americans;
9he focused on the career development of aspiring young minority
10lawyers and utilized his leadership post at the Cook County Bar
11Association to launch the organization's first job fairs; he
12was a long-standing board member for the John Howard
13Association, where he actively spearheaded initiatives to
14protect the rights of women prisoners; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Chester Slaughter was as an adjunct professor and
16lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School and
17Northwestern University School of Law; he was a supporter of
18the 6th and 21st Ward Democratic organizations, where he worked
19on local political campaigns; he also cherished the brotherhood
20of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, where he was active
21in the Xi Lambda Alumni Chapter and the Beta Omicron Foundation
22and was instrumental in establishing their student scholarship
23initiative; he was also active with the Chicago Assembly and

 

 

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1the Chicago Chapter of the Tennessee State University Alumni
2Association; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Chester Slaughter was a member of Saint Edmund
4Episcopal Church, where he was active in church activities,
5programs, and clubs; he also became a board member of the Saint
6Edmund's Redevelopment Corporation, where he was instrumental
7in efforts to provide affordable housing in the Washington Park
8neighborhood; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Chester Slaughter was a sports enthusiast; he was
10a member of the Chicago Snow Gophers and a competitive skier;
11he founded the Chicago South Swim Club and was also a United
12States Swimming Association Official; he was a basketball
13fanatic and enjoyed traveling around the country watching his
14two sons play basketball at the collegiate level; known for his
15love of cooking and well-dressed style, his family was always
16his top priority; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Chester Slaughter was preceded in death by his
18mother and father-in-law, Inez and John W. Willis; his aunts,
19Corine Slaughter and Earline Shelby; his uncles, George
20Slaughter Jr. and Theodore Slaughter; numerous cousins, great-
21nieces, nephews, and friends; and his beloved granddog, Ace
22Slaughter; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Chester Slaughter is survived by his wife of 49
2years, Ruth; his sons, Craig (Jennifer Eckert) and Justin
3(Catrena) Slaughter; his mother, Freida Williams; his
4grandson, Russell Slaughter; his brothers-in-law, John W.
5(Bertha) Willis Jr., Victor Willis, and Leroy (Pamela) Willis
6Sr.; his sisters-in-law, Patricia Willis and Thelma Green; and
7his aunts, Louise Cornelius and Joan Price; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
9HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
10mourn the passing of Chester Slaughter and extend our sincere
11condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
12him; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14presented to the family of Chester Slaughter as an expression
15of our deepest sympathy.