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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 Dianne
4Patrice Durham of Chicago, who passed away on February 4,
52021; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Dianne Durham was born in Gary, Indiana to Ural
7L. Durham and Calvinita Carter Durham on June 17, 1968; she was
8known as "Tricey" by those who grew up with her in Gary; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Dianne Durham began her illustrious gymnastics
10career under the tutelage of Wanda Tomasi-Mohoi in
11Merrillville, Indiana at the age of four; she trained with
12notable coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi in Houston, Texas; she
13won the junior national title in 1981 and 1982; she won the
14senior national title in 1983, making her the first Black
15woman to win a USA Gymnastics national championship; she
16concluded her competitive career in gymnastics in 1985; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Dianne Durham continued to work in gymnastics,
18eventually coaching, judging, and running her own gym, Skyline
19Gymnastics, in Chicago; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Dianne Durham was inducted into the USA
21Gymnastics' Hall of Fame for Region 5, the division of USA

 

 

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1Gymnastics that covers parts of the Midwest, in 2017; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Dianne Durham committed to her faith at a young
3age at Trinity MB Church under the leadership of Pastor W.H.
4Thomas; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dianne Durham was an icon and trailblazer in
6gymnastics; she will be remembered for opening doors for
7generations of Black gymnasts who followed after her; her
8contributions and legacy to the sport of gymnastics will live
9on; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Dianne Durham was preceded in death by her
11mother, Calvinita Carter Durham; her maternal grandparents,
12Calvin and Thelma Carter; her paternal grandparents, Ulysses
13Durham and Limmie Moore; her aunts, Thelma L. Carter,
14Georgianna Moore, and Burnedett Durham; and her uncle, Wille
15Reed Carter; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Dianne Durham is survived by her husband, Thomas
17"Tom" Drahozal; her father, Ural Durham; her sister, Alice
18Durham Woods; her niece, Allison C. Woods; her nephew, Michael
19A. Woods II; her brother-in-law, Tim Drahozal; her aunts, Ida
20Carter Jones and Marolin Milan; her uncles, Alex Carter,
21Dennis Carter, Kem Moore, and Elton Moore; her special cousin,
22Eric Carter; and a host of family and friends; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
2HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we mourn the passing of Dianne Patrice Durham and extend our
4sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew
5and loved her; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Dianne Durham as an expression of
8our deepest sympathy.