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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 Sister
4Edna McNelty, a resident of Maywood for over 60 years, on
5December 22, 2021; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Sis. Edna McNelty was born on July 29, 1929 in
7Summit, Mississippi, the first of 12 children born to Warnella
8and Peter Huber Crossley; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Sis. Edna McNelty met Pastor H. McNelty at the
10Chicago Baptist Institute of Chicago, and they later married
11and had one son, Michael McNelty; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Sis. Edna McNelty, alongside her late husband,
13dedicated her life to the church and the education of children
14during her tenure as the First Lady of the First Baptist Church
15in Melrose Park and the Dean of Education of the H. McNelty
16School; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Sis. Edna McNelty also completed 22 years of
18service, including with the Department of Health and Human
19Services-Social Security Administration; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Sis. Edna McNelty worked faithfully and

 

 

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1tirelessly to serve her church and community; she was the
2First Lady of the First Baptist Church of Melrose Park for 42
3years; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Sis Edna McNelty and her husband worked hard to
5ensure the success of their church and school; in 1978, an
6addition to the church was completed, and in 1985, they
7founded the H. McNelty pre-school; furthermore in 1990, they
8oversaw the construction of an auditorium, educational labs,
9and an atrium garden; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Sis. Edna McNelty later joined the United Baptist
11Church in Chicago, where she continued to serve the poor; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Sis. Edna McNelty was supportive of her parents,
13siblings, other relatives, church members, and friends; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Sis. Edna McNelty lived a life of love and
15dedication to her family, friends, and community; she leaves
16behind a legacy of faith and generosity and an abundance of
17love; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Sis. Edna McNelty leaves to cherish her memory
19her son, Michael (Mary); her granddaughter, Tawanda; her
20sisters, Joyce McSpadden, Clara Crossley, and Theresa
21Crossley; her sister-in-law, Inez Crossley; her brother,

 

 

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1Lonnie Melvin Crossley; her brother-in-law, Willie Frank
2Moore; her goddaughters, Anita Perkins-Tate and Benita
3Edwards; her godsons, Cleo and Charlie McSpadden and Shaun
4Mayberry; and a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and
5nephews, other relatives, and friends; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
7HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
8we mourn the passing of Sister Edna McNelty and extend our
9sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew
10and loved her; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the family of Sis. Edna McNelty as an expression
13of our deepest sympathy.