093_SR0115

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 1                          SENATE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members  of  the  Senate  of  the  State  of
 3    Illinois  were  saddened  to  learn  of  the  death  of Mamie
 4    Elizabeth Till-Mobley on January 6, 2003; and

 5        WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley was born on November  23,  1921
 6    in  Hazelhurst,  Mississippi  to  the  union of Nash and Alma
 7    Smith-Carthan; and

 8        WHEREAS, Mrs. Till-Mobley completed elementary  and  high
 9    school,  graduating  from Argo Community High School in 1940;
10    accepting Christ as her personal Savior at an early age,  she
11    was baptized by Elder Goodwin at Argo Temple Church of God in
12    Christ; and

13        WHEREAS,  Mrs.  Till-Mobley married Emmett Louis Till and
14    to this union one son, Emmett Till, Jr. was born; and

15        WHEREAS, Mrs.  Till-Mobley  later  relocated  to  Chicago
16    where  she met and married  Gennie Mobley, Jr., with whom she
17    shared two step-daughters, Lillian Gene  Jackson  and  Yvonne
18    Wright;  in addition, she was blessed with two god-daughters,
19    Ollie and Airicka Gordon; and three godsons,  Abriel  Thomas,
20    Kailonn W. Thomas Sr., and Shafter Gordon; and

21        WHEREAS,  Mrs.  Till-Mobley's  employment  spanned over a
22    period of forty-five years; her years  of  work  include  the
23    following:  from  1936-1941,  she was a domestic worker; from
24    1941-1943,  she  was  employed  by  the  Coffey   School   of
25    Aeronautics  (Cornelius  and  Willa  Brown, owners); and from
26    1943-1956, she was employed by the federal government; and

27        WHEREAS, At age 33, she entered Chicago Teachers College,
28    received a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education in 3 1/2
29    years, and graduated Cum  Laude;  her  thirst  for  education
30    continued   and  she  attended  graduate  school,  earning  a
31    Master's Degree in Administration and Supervision  at  Loyola
 
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 1    University;  she  worked  as  teacher  for the Chicago Public
 2    Schools (Carter, and McCosh Scanlon) for 26 years; and

 3        WHEREAS, Christianity and the church were a staple in her
 4    life; she attended  Corinthian  Temple  and  Robert's  Temple
 5    COGIC,  and in 1973 united with the Evangelistic Crusaders as
 6    one of the founding  seven  members;  she  served  faithfully
 7    under  the  pastorate  of  Elder George Liggins; although her
 8    appointment to Church Mother excited her the  most,  she  was
 9    the  first  church  secretary; in addition, she served in the
10    following  capacities:  President  of  the  Secretarial   and
11    Broadcast Staff, Adult Sunday School Teacher, Missionary, and
12    Notary  Public; she was also a Charter member of the Board of
13    Directors;  and  she  was  active   in   all   of   Crusaders
14    child-related programs which includes Founder and Director of
15    the "Emmett Till Players"; and

16        WHEREAS,  Mrs. Till-Mobley trained over three generations
17    of  children  renewing  their  interests  in  academics   and
18    inspiring  their sense of self-worth; she traveled throughout
19    the United States speaking about the  Civil  Rights  struggle
20    and urging her listeners to be the best they can; and

21        WHEREAS,  Mrs.  Till-Mobley's passing will be deeply felt
22    by many, especially her step-daughters, Lillian Gene  Jackson
23    and Yvonne Wright (Ron); her god-daughters, Ollie and Airicka
24    Gordon;  her brothers-in-law, Rev. Wealthy (Euphemia) Mobley,
25    Vernon Brown Hosea  Mobley,  and  Leroy  (Liz)  Randall;  her
26    cousins,  Crosby (Janie) Smith, Sally Rollins, Abriel Thomas,
27    and  Shafter  Gordon;  her   six   grandchildren;   her   ten
28    great-grandchildren; and a host of cousins, god-children, and
29    friends; and

30        WHEREAS,  Mrs.  Till-Mobley  was preceded in death by her
31    first husband, Emmett Louis Till; her second husband,  Gennie
32    Mobley,  Jr.;  her  son,  Emmett  Till,  Jr.; and one godson,
 
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 1    Kailonn W. Thomas Sr.; therefore, be it

 2        RESOLVED, BY  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL
 3    ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of
 4    Mamie Elizabeth Till-Mobley along with all who knew and loved
 5    her  and  extend  our  sincere  condolences  to  her  family,
 6    friends, and community; and be it further

 7        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
 8    presented to the family of Mamie Elizabeth  Till-Mobley  with
 9    our deepest sympathy.