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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The General Assembly was sad to learn of the death
3 of Jeune Jackson-Thompson on Monday, October 10, 2005; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Jeune Jackson-Thompson was born March 21, 1953 to
5 Johnny and June Jackson in Chicago, Illinois; she was the
6 beloved sister of Willard (Chickie) Moody; she was blessed with
7 a foster grandmother, Elnora Johnson, until the age of
8 fourteen; in 1967 she became the adopted daughter of J.D. and
9 Mary Springfield and acquired five loving sisters; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Jeune attended and completed Willard Elementary
11 and DuSable High School; she furthered her education by
12 attending nursing school and worked at Park West Medical
13 Center; when Jeune had the opportunity, she changed careers to
14 her true passion, entertainment; Jeune was a shining light to
15 all who entered the doors at Black Entertainment Television
16 (BET) for the past seven years, and she will be sorely missed
17 by her co-workers; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Jeune married Sherman Thompson and acquired a
19 stepdaughter, Tina; to this union, one son, Courtney Thompson,
20 would be born; Jeune was the kind of mother everyone would
21 want, loving, understanding, supportive, a good provider and a
22 best friend to her son Courtney; and
 
23     WHEREAS, Jeune accepted Christ at an early age; during her
24 early teens, she joined the SCLC Operation Breadbasket Choir
25 and also united with the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church;
26 the choir was an intricate part of Jeune's life and was
27 enriched by her voice and keen ear for music; the Breadbasket
28 Choir evolved into what is now known as the National
29 Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Choir; Jeune's activities in the choir
30 fused her passion for music and social justice, enabling her to
31 travel the country on behalf of African American people to

 

 

HR0651 - 2 - LRB094 14586 DRH 49529 r

1 picket lines, marches and rallies; emerging from this choir was
2 a group who call themselves The Ascensions, whose members
3 included Eric Thomas, Cenita Scott, Kim Steel, Cynthia Rainey,
4 and Jeune; Jeune could always tell when someone was off key and
5 in the sweetest of ways, quietly put them back on note; they
6 achieved huge success as they traveled the country working with
7 such name artists as Walter Jackson, Gene Chandler, and the
8 late Reverend Marvin Yancy; even today, they are still
9 achieving success at the opening act for great artists,
10 including Jennifer Holliday; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Jeune leaves surviving her husband, Sherman; her
12 son, Courtney; her stepdaughter, Tina; her mother, June
13 Jackson; her brother, Willard (Barbara) Moody; her mother, Mary
14 Springfield; a sister-in-law, Linda Henderson; five sisters:
15 Tracy (George) Simmons, Cenita (Bill) Scott, Cindy (Dan)
16 Newhold, Gail Hawkins, and Michael (Reggie) Peterson; an aunt,
17 Lovana S. Jones; two uncles, Harvey Day and Bradley Walker; 2
18 grandchildren, 22 nieces, 19 nephews; numerous cousins
19 including Toni and Suzette Fitzpatrick; and a host of loving
20 relatives and friends; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Jeune Jackson-Thompson will be greatly missed,
22 especially by her friends and family; therefore, be it
 
23     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
24 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
25 we mourn the death of Jeune Jackson-Thompson; and be it further
 
26     RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to
27 the family of Jeune Jackson-Thompson as an expression of our
28 deepest sympathy.