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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to  
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learn of the death of
Cyrus Johnson of Jackson, Tennessee, 
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formerly of Alton, who passed away on February 27, 2009; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson was born on February 18, 1929 in 
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Alton; his parents were Cyrus Leroy and Jennie Cornelia (Keen) 
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Johnson; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson attended school at Woods School and 
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Foster Township; he continued his education at Lovejoy School 
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and Alton Senior High School; he attended college at Shurtleff 
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College and the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, 
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where he earned his bachelor's degree in urban land economics 
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in 1956 and his master's degree in social science in 1959; 
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after graduating, he pursued numerous corporate training 
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opportunities, including stints at the Massachusetts Institute 
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of Technology, the University of Pittsburgh, and Harvard 
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University's Advanced Management Program 69, where he served as 
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class president; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson served in the United States Army 
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from 1950 to 1952, he went through basic training at Fort 
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Leonard Wood, Missouri before serving his tour of duty in 
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Germany during the Korean Conflict; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson was well known for his incredible 
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work ethic, a trait honed on his family's farm; while attending 
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the University of Illinois, he served as head waiter and 
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assistant manager of food services at the Urbana Lincoln Motor 
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Inn; after his graduate studies, he and his family went to 
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Chicago, where Mr. Johnson served for 14 years at the Illinois 
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Bell Telephone Company as the public office manager; he 
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received many promotions during his tenure, ending his career 
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as a district commercial manager; in 1973, he was hired at 
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General Mills Incorporated to serve as the first 
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African-American vice president of the company, a position he 
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occupied for 18 years until his retirement; following his 
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retirement, he became a full-time gentleman farmer; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Throughout his life, Cyrus Johnson served his 
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community in leadership positions on numerous local and 
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national nonprofit, professional, corporate, and university 
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boards; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson was preceded in death by parents and 
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his sister, Cora Darden; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Cyrus Johnson is survived by his wife of 54 years, 
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Charlotte E. (Kenniebrew) Johnson; his daughters, Judie 
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Johnson and Renee Johnson; his favorite granddaughter, Jennie 
 


 






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M. Johnson McFadden; his sisters and brothers, Virginia Ward 
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(Paul), Lucille Piggott (Bert), Mary Hyndman, Harold Johnson 
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(Evelyn), Robert Darden (husband of Cora), William Johnson 
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(Olivia "Sue"), Lloyd Johnson (Minnie), Alvin Johnson 
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(Thelma), and Adele Carpenter (Willi); his many nieces and 
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nephews; his large extended family; and his friend and mentor, 
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James A. Summer; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with 
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his family and friends, the passing of Cyrus Johnson; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Cyrus Johnson as an expression of 
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our sympathy.