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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Thornal
4Washington, who passed away on March 15, 2014; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Thornal Washington was born on May 28, 1924; he
6married Opal Warren on April 15, 1943; together, they had 2
7children, Victor Washington and Gail Johnson; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Thornal Washington was a graduate of Dunbar High
9School in Texarkana, Texas and earned his bachelor's degree
10from Governors State University; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Thornal Washington made a career out of civic
12service to the younger residents of Chicago Heights; he began
13his career in civic service in 1949, when he organized the
14Chicago Heights Improvement Association and served on the Board
15of Directors for 10 years; from 1951 to 1961, he served as an
16Advisory Board Member of Girl Scout Troop #621 in Chicago
17Heights; from 1951 to 1994, he served as a Board of Directors
18member and fiscal administrator of Calvary Missionary Baptist
19Church in Chicago Heights; from 1957 to 1966, he served as a
20member of the Chicago Heights Planning Commission; from 1957 to
211963, he served as the business manager for the Chicago Heights
22Community Choir; from 1957 to 1961, he served as chief

 

 

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1organizer and coach of the Kool Kids Girls Softball Team in
2Chicago Heights from 1959 to 1967, he served as a community
3service worker for the Illinois Youth Commission; and
 
4    WHEREAS, From 1960 to 1962, Thornal Washington served as
5Chairman of the South Suburban Law and Order Committee; in
61960, he organized and established the Chicago Heights
7Community Youth Committee; in 1961, he organized and
8established the East Chicago Heights Community Youth
9Committee; from 1968 to 1973, he served as Corrections
10Community Service Worker for the Illinois Department of
11Corrections, Juvenile Division, Community Services; in 1971,
12he organized a series of state-wide Governor's Conferences on
13Youth; from 1973 to 1976, he served as Corrections Community
14Service Supervisor for the Illinois Department of Corrections;
15and
 
16    WHEREAS, In 1974, Thornal Washington organized Hickory
17House, a group home for juvenile boys, in Chicago Heights; in
181974, he served as liaison for Bloom, Thornton, and Rich High
19Schools to address the issue of student unrest, drugs,
20vandalism, and assault; in 1975, he served as a member of the
21Task Force on Regionalization for the Illinois Department of
22Corrections; and in 1976, he served on the Illinois Commission
23on Delinquency Prevention, which replaced the Community
24Service Unit, for the Illinois Department of Corrections; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Thornal Washington served as Executive Director
2of the Chicago Heights Community Youth Committee District
3Supervisor for the Chicago Area Project for over 20 years; and
 
4    WHEREAS, For over 50 years, Thornal Washington dedicated
5his life to serving the younger residents of Chicago Heights;
6his dedication, commitment, and service set an example for them
7to follow for generations to come; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10we, along with his family and friends, mourn the passing of
11Thornal Washington; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to the family of Thornal Washington as an expression
14of our sympathy.