SR0479 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0479 LRB093 21511 HSS 48655 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Maria Teresa Alvarado Avila of St. Petersburg's Beach, Florida, on Sunday, February 1, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Avila was born on January 7, 1914 in El Paso, Texas to Maria Prieto and Mercedes Alvarado Bernal; she moved to Chicago in 1930; during The Great Depression, she sold homemade ice cream, sweet potatoes, and paper shopping bags with handles on Maxwell Street; she also worked at the Nabisco Cookie Factory located on Polk Street and helped her sister-in-law run Bob's Grocery Store located near Taylor in the Old Italian neighborhood; and

WHEREAS, She met Frank Mosqueda Parocua Avila in El Paso, Texas and married him in 1936 in Chicago; they had 4 children and later divorced; when he remarried, she gained 3 stepsons that she cared for in her home; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Avila served as a precinct captain for the 5th Precinct of the 46th Ward when she and her family lived in the Wrigley section of Lakeview in Chicago; she also worked in the old 1st Ward (before redistricting) for about 10 years and the 22nd Ward in Chicago; she knew everyone in her precincts by name; her children often "walked the precincts" to get out the votes; after years and years of this kind of work for others, Ms. Avila was especially excited when her eldest son, Frank Avila, was elected and installed as Commissioner of the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago in the fall of 2002; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Avila acted as a kind of social worker and helped many people to obtain various social services; she also worked for many years and retired as an employee for the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County; because she was bilingual, she often translated Spanish and English for judges, lawyers, law enforcement officers, and other people in the courts and offices; and

WHEREAS, Following her retirement from the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, she moved to St. Petersburg's Beach, Florida; she enjoyed a special trip back to El Paso, Texas to reunite with her many Alvarado cousins; she always owned dogs, including King and Chewie; she had a hearty, deep laugh that will not be forgotten; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Maria Teresa Alvarado Avila has been deeply felt by many, especially her sister, Lala Carvajal; her daughter, Mary Theresa Avila Pabon; her sons, Commissioner of Water Reclamation Frank (Sherry) Avila, Richard Avila, and Daniel Avila; her stepsons, Russell Metzger (Liane) Avila, Richard Frank Metzger Avila (Diane Allard), and Robert Metzger Avila (Darlene Meinke); her grandchildren, Anthony Pabon, Rich Higgins Avila, Frank B. Avila, Quinn Avila, Audrey Avila, Dan Avila, Brandi Avila Valdez, and Robert Avila; her 8 step-grandchildren; her 6 great-grandchildren; her 3 step-great-grandchildren; and her numerous nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Maria Teresa Alvarado Avila, and we extend our deepest sympathy to her friends, family, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Maria Teresa Alvarado Avila as an expression of our sincere condolences.