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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Janice Marie Mitchell, who passed away
4on November 15, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Janice Mitchell was born to Ola Mae Babers and
6LuArthur Washington in Natchitoches, Louisiana on February 1,
71963; she attended Weaver Elementary School, Natchitoches
8Junior High School, and Natchitoches Central High School;
9growing up, she was a member of the Second Baptist Church,
10Junior Usher Board, 4-H Club, Junior ROTC, and later ROTC; she
11served as Commander of the 378th Chemical Company of the U.S.
12Army Reserves Unit; she attended Southern University and A & M
13College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where she obtained a
14bachelor's degree in Social Work in 1986; she then graduated
15from The University of Chicago with a master's degree in
16Social Work in 1988; she married Daniel "Danny" Mitchell in
17Natchitoches on May 27, 1989; and
 
18    WHEREAS, After moving to Urbana, Janice Mitchell worked
19for various youth-serving organizations, including the
20Cunningham Children's Home, the Illinois Department of
21Children and Family Services, the Regional Office of
22Education, and Urbana School District 116; in 2010, she became
23founder and CEO of Urbana Neighborhood Connections Center,

 

 

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1Inc. (UNCC), which is a year-round community center that
2serves between 50 and 100 Pre-K to 12th grade students during
3after-school and summer programming hours; during the COVID-19
4pandemic, UNCC's doors remained open all day to provide a
5space for students to engage in virtual learning in a
6supervised, supportive environment; she also started a cake
7decorating business called "Mitchell's Sweet Creations"; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Janice Mitchell served as a parent volunteer in
9the local schools and created programs to teach underserved
10youth about their rich heritage as well as provide academic
11and social-emotional enrichment; she founded "Prairie Tracks",
12"Brothas & Sistas" and "Sankofa Summer Exposures" programs for
13students at Prairie (Dr. Williams) Elementary and Urbana
14Middle School; she took students on trips to museums, theme
15parks, and college campuses all over the United States and
16Canada; she facilitated the provision of scholarships and
17laptops to several groups of graduating high school seniors in
18Champaign County; she decorated multiple venues for various
19occasions and worked alongside Urbana High School staff to
20assist pregnant teen girls in attaining their diplomas; she
21started the Urbana High School Equity & Social Justice Club,
22founded the College & Career Readiness Program as an extension
23of the center, and started the first youth praise dance
24ministry at Jericho Missionary Baptist Church; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Janice Mitchell was an active member of the
2Champaign County Housing Authority Board for 10 years; she
3attended Jericho Missionary Baptist Church where she served as
4usher board president and in countless other roles for over 25
5years; in 2019, she was a founding member of the Greater
6Philadelphia Baptist Church in Urbana where she served in the
7usher ministry and as church clerk; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Janice Mitchell enjoyed sewing, cooking,
9traveling back home to Louisiana to spend time with her
10family, shopping in nearby major cities, and spending time
11with close friends; she was well known for her loving nature
12and unwavering service to her community, her faith, and her
13nation; she will be most remembered for her spirit of
14excellence, her passion for education, and her legacy of love;
15and
 
16    WHEREAS, Janice Mitchell was preceded in death by her
17parents and her sibling, Mary Lee; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Janice Mitchell is survived by her husband of 32
19years, Danny; her children, Jeniece and Everette Mitchell; her
20siblings, Ida, Susie, Gerlean, John, Shawn, and Glenda; her 28
21nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; and her
22godchildren, Lentroy Anderson, Tina Findley, Rakeem Sallee,
23Donald "Ducky" Stewart, Celina White, and most recently baby

 

 

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1Erique "EJ" Wright; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
3ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
4Janice Marie Mitchell and extend our sincere condolences to
5her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
6further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the family of Janice Mitchell as an expression of
9our deepest sympathy.