SR0352 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0352 LRB102 18800 LAW 27501 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Martha Ann (Mealer) Smith of Danville, who passed away on June 3, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Martha Smith was born in Danville to Homer Eugene and Bessie Ola Edwards Mealer on April 22, 1932; she was a lifelong resident of Danville; she attended Oaklawn, Cannon, and Lincoln Grade School, where she was a member of the girls' city champion basketball team; she graduated from Danville High School in 1950, and she continued to chair and work on all class reunions; she married Donald Lee Smith at Central Christian Church on October 26, 1968, and he preceded her in death on September 17, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her life, Martha Smith was employed in the offices of Sears Roebuck, Illinois Power, and General Electric; she also served as the assistant marketing director for Liberty Village; and

WHEREAS, Martha Smith served as state director for the Miss National Teenager Scholarship Pageant for Illinois and Wisconsin for 14 years; she was a former director of the Vermilion County Fair Pageant, where she trained girls for competition; she judged many local, state, and national pageants; she was named Ms. Illinois Senior America in 1997 and was 5th runner-up for the National Senior America Pageant in 1997; and

WHEREAS, Martha Smith was active in many civic organizations and was known as "Clipboard Martha" for always being in the process of organizing some charity activity; she served on the Salvation Army Auxiliary Board, where she was president for three years; she developed and chaired the Kettle Golf Tournament for the Auxiliary and the Elks Golf Tournament; she chaired the Toys for Tots Program for over ten years; she served on the former USMC Hospital Auxiliary Board; she was a lifetime member and the past president of the Danville Symphony Orchestra; she was an active member of the Danville Elks, and she was named District Elk Lady of the Year in 2004 and Lady of the Year for the State of Illinois Elks in 2004; she was previously active with the Red Mask Players and was the former president of the Red Mask Women's Guild; she was a member of the Danville Boat Club and the Danville Garden Club; and

WHEREAS, Martha Smith was a member of St. James United Methodist Church, where she served on numerous committees for the United Methodist Women, the 3M Sunday School Class, and the Christian Women's Club; she traveled to Israel, where she was baptized in the River Jordan alongside her husband; and

WHEREAS, Martha Smith loved sewing, gardening, golfing, and researching her family genealogy; she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother; and

WHEREAS, Martha Smith was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Donald; her sisters, Bette Ruth Mealer (Andrew) Hunt and Nancy Mealer (Robert) Butler; her brother, Farrell Eugene Mealer; and her nephews, Farrell E. Mealer Jr. and Robert Butler; and

WHEREAS, Martha Smith is survived by her daughters, Cynthia Ann Phillips (Robert) Minor and Kimberly Ann Smith (Ted) Silvey; her grandsons, Robert (Jessica) Minor III, Marc (Medina) Minor, and Matthew (Molly) Minor; her granddaughters, Maria Ann (Alex) Minor Rus and Rachel Nicole Silvey; her great-grandchildren, Jonah Minor, Eli Minor, Mae Minor, Zoe Minor, Noah Minor, Blaise Minor, Aria Minor, Brielle Minor, and Emila Rus; and her nieces, Pamela Mealer (Fred) Parker, Kathleen Hunt (Steve) Arthur, and Donna Butler (Paul) Rogers; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Martha Ann (Mealer) Smith 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 Martha Smith as an expression of our deepest sympathy.