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| | SR0824 | | LRB098 17121 MST 52208 r |
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1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
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2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to |
3 | | learn of the death of Isabella C. "Madear" (nee Connolly) |
4 | | Taylor of Chicago, who passed away on January 5, 2014; and
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5 | | WHEREAS, Isabella Taylor was born on August 11, 1909 to |
6 | | Toney and Lena Connolly in Savage, Mississippi; she married |
7 | | Luke Taylor on April 12, 1931; she received her teaching |
8 | | certificate from the State of Mississippi in 1930 and began |
9 | | teaching even before earning her high school diploma, which she |
10 | | received in 1950; she received her bachelor's degree in |
11 | | elementary education in 1959 from Mississippi Industrial |
12 | | College; and
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13 | | WHEREAS, Isabella Taylor began her teaching career in a |
14 | | "one room schoolhouse", including Prichard Elementary School |
15 | | in Tunica, Mississippi; she then taught at Rosa Fort Elementary |
16 | | School from 1961 until her retirement in 1973; and
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17 | | WHEREAS, Isabella Taylor pledged Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, |
18 | | Inc. in 1974 and became a life-time member; she was the oldest |
19 | | living soror in the State of Illinois and was featured as the |
20 | | cover girl in the March 2013 issue of Zeta Tau Zeta's magazine, |
21 | | and in late 2013, the Isabella C. Taylor Scholarship was |
22 | | created in honor for her services and commitment to education; |
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1 | | and
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2 | | WHEREAS, Isabella Taylor settled in Chicago in the |
3 | | mid-1970s and joined the Allen Metropolitan Christian |
4 | | Methodist Episcopal Church, where she was involved in many |
5 | | church auxiliaries, including the Missionary Society, the |
6 | | Young at Heart, and the Stewardess Board; she served as the |
7 | | Stewardess Chaplain of the Third Episcopal District for several |
8 | | decades; she taught Sunday school, authored songs, and traveled |
9 | | regularly to church conferences to deliver speeches and helped |
10 | | to raise funds by entering her great-grandchildren and |
11 | | great-great-grandchildren in the annual baby contest; and |
12 | | WHEREAS, Isabella Taylor had an undeniable commitment to |
13 | | her family as well as to education; she attended the graduation |
14 | | ceremonies for all family members from elementary to graduate |
15 | | schools, including medical and law schools; and |
16 | | WHEREAS, Isabella Taylor was known for her inspirational |
17 | | words and expressions, which were displayed in churches, |
18 | | schools, newspapers, and on television; her first play was |
19 | | performed at age 16; in 1980, she appeared on PBS to represent |
20 | | her sorority and recite original works of poetry; from 1996 |
21 | | through 2000, she authored 2 poetry books and a book of prose |
22 | | and one of her poems won second-place at the Gwendolyn Brooks |
23 | | Writer's Conference; and |
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1 | | WHEREAS, Isabella Taylor kept her razor-sharp intellect |
2 | | throughout her years by completing 10 to 12 crossword puzzles |
3 | | daily and playing solitaire and Scrabble regularly on her |
4 | | computer; she also kept active as an Avon representative, a |
5 | | member of the National Association for the Advancement of |
6 | | Colored People, a member of the Mississippi Teachers's |
7 | | Association, a founding member of Tunica's Homemakers Club, and |
8 | | as a Girl Scout Brownie Leader; and |
9 | | WHEREAS, Isabella Taylor was preceded in death by her |
10 | | husband, Luke, and her sons, Menrose T. Hall, Vernice T. |
11 | | Brownlee, and Calvin Taylor; and
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12 | | WHEREAS, Isabella Taylor is survived by her children, |
13 | | LeeDale Taylor, Marjorie James, Hosea Taylor, CL (Irene) |
14 | | Taylor, Doretha Walker, Eunice Hobbs, and Melvin (Renee) |
15 | | Taylor; her sisters, Ora Mae Rushing and Fannie Taylor; her 35 |
16 | | grandchildren; her 72 great-grandchildren; her 25 |
17 | | great-great-grandchildren; her son-in-law, Thomas O. Brownlee, |
18 | | Sr.; her daughter-in-law, Sonia Taylor; and a host of other |
19 | | relatives, sorors, and friends; therefore, be it
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20 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL |
21 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of |
22 | | Isabella C. "Madear" Taylor, and extend our sincere condolences |