HR0845 LRB094 18991 LCT 54471 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives were saddened to learn of the recent death of
4 Allan Johnson; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Allan Johnson was born on December 16, 1959, in
6 Chicago, the son of Ted and Cynthia Johnson; he grew up on the
7 South Side, where his first job was helping out at a roller
8 skating rink owned by an uncle; and
 
9     WHEREAS, He attended Columbia College and began working at
10 the Chicago Tribune in 1979, starting at the paper's lowest
11 rung, copy clerk, and steadily advancing; Mr. Johnson's byline
12 first appeared in the financial section in 1987 and the next
13 year he began the "Just for Laughs" column in the Friday
14 section, which focused on the then-booming local comedy scene;
15 and
 
16     WHEREAS, Since 2003, Allan Johnson was a staff reporter for
17 Q, the Sunday lifestyle section, bringing his expertise to such
18 cover stories as a hilarious take-off on "The Apprentice" and a
19 thoughtful and amusing examination of sarcasm; he was one of
20 only a handful of African-Americans writing criticism for major
21 newspapers; he provided the Chicago Tribune with more than a
22 decade's worth of reviews, interviews, and stories that were
23 thoughtful, knowing, and enthusiastic; and
 
24     WHEREAS, In addition to his newspaper work, Mr. Johnson was
25 a frequent and lively guest on local radio and television
26 programs; since 1998, he had been an adjunct professor at
27 Columbia College where he taught a course in reporting for
28 newspapers and broadcasting; he was often seen parading his
29 wide-eyed students on tours of the Tribune; and he had recently
30 developed and had begun teaching a new course on reporting
31 entertainment news for the journalism department; and
 

 

 

HR0845 - 2 - LRB094 18991 LCT 54471 r

1     WHEREAS, Previously married and divorced, Allan Johnson
2 was the father of a 24-year-old son, Warren; he later married
3 Evelyn Holmes, a general assignment reporter for ABC 7 News, in
4 1997, and from that marriage, Caitlin Josephine was born; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The passing of Allan Johnson will be felt by all
6 who knew and loved him, especially his wife, Evelyn Holmes; his
7 son, Warren; his daughter, Caitlin Josephine; his parents; his
8 brother, Michael; his sister, Donna; and a host of loving
9 relatives, friends, and co-workers; therefore, be it
 
10     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
12 we mourn, along with all who knew and loved him, the death of
13 Allan Johnson and extend our sincerest condolences to his
14 family and friends; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16 presented to the family of Allan Johnson.