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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Edward | ||||||
| 4 | George Gardner of Chicago, who passed away on March 20, 2023; | ||||||
| 5 | and
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| 6 | WHEREAS, Edward Gardner was born to Frank and Eva Gardner | ||||||
| 7 | in the West Chesterfield neighborhood of Chicago on February | ||||||
| 8 | 15, 1925; he attended Fenger High School; he served as a | ||||||
| 9 | sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II; he received his | ||||||
| 10 | Bachelor of Arts from Chicago Teachers College, known today as | ||||||
| 11 | Chicago State University; he earned his Master of Arts from | ||||||
| 12 | the University of Chicago; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, Edward Gardner was regarded as a Chicago titan of | ||||||
| 14 | business and philanthropy; in 1964, he and his wife, Bettiann, | ||||||
| 15 | founded the hair care company Soft Sheen Products, Inc.; they | ||||||
| 16 | developed the business into a multimillion-dollar enterprise, | ||||||
| 17 | employing more than 400 people and exporting products to | ||||||
| 18 | Canada, the Caribbean, and West Africa; and
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| 19 | WHEREAS, Edward Gardner utilized Soft Sheen Products, | ||||||
| 20 | Inc.'s advertising and communication resources and leveraged a | ||||||
| 21 | $300,000 fundraising effort and staff to mount a campaign that | ||||||
| 22 | registered more than 200,000 voters 40 years ago, which was | ||||||
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| 1 | instrumental in the 1983 election of Chicago's first Black | ||||||
| 2 | mayor, the late Harold Washington; and
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| 3 | WHEREAS, Edward Gardner was also known for his dedication | ||||||
| 4 | to the arts; he and his wife spearheaded the development of the | ||||||
| 5 | New Regal Theater located at 1641 East 79th Street in Chicago, | ||||||
| 6 | which hosted acts ranging from Gladys Knight to Tyler Perry | ||||||
| 7 | during its years in operation; and
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| 8 | WHEREAS, Edward Gardner remained committed to his | ||||||
| 9 | community throughout his life; at the age of 87, he led a march | ||||||
| 10 | of over 1,000 people to protest the lack of Black workers on a | ||||||
| 11 | major construction site on Chicago's South Side in 2012; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, Edward Gardner was a co-owner of the Chicago | ||||||
| 13 | Bulls and a founding member of the anti-violence nonprofit | ||||||
| 14 | Black On Black Love; he was also a board member of Chicago | ||||||
| 15 | United and The Chicago Urban League; and
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| 16 | WHEREAS, Edward Gardner was known for engaging others with | ||||||
| 17 | humanity and humility; he will be remembered for his | ||||||
| 18 | dedication to his family, his community, and the City of | ||||||
| 19 | Chicago; therefore, be it
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| 20 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 21 | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
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| 1 | we mourn the passing of Edward George Gardner and extend our | ||||||
| 2 | sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew | ||||||
| 3 | and loved him; and be it further
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| 4 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 5 | presented to the family of Edward Gardner as an expression of | ||||||
| 6 | our deepest sympathy.
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