SR0692 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0692 LRB093 23516 RLC 53511 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Hezekiah Davis at the age of 93 on September 23, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis was born in Alabama, but when his parents' farm stopped producing, his family moved to Parkdale, Arkansas to farm; it was there that he met Mazzie Glass, who he married in 1934; and

WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Davis raised their 11 children on a farm in southeast Arkansas; he was very proud that 7 of his 11 children attended college; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis took his civic responsibility seriously; before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed the poll tax, he and his wife eagerly paid the fee to vote; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis was very active in his community; when he retired from farming, he joined a nearby social service agency; he was in charge of maintaining the 16 vans used by its day-care program and of purchasing food for its cafeteria; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis moved to Illinois when he was 87 to live with one of his daughters in Hazel Crest; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis became an active member of the Hazel Crest community; he participated in a local day program and attended political meetings and banquets; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis was preceded in death by his first wife, Mazzie, who passed away in 1981, and by his second wife, Armetha Stenerette; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Hezekiah Davis will be felt by all who knew and loved him, especially his daughters, Ceola Barnes, Barbara Nelson, and Floretta Davis; his sons, Bennie, Danny, Jesse, and Willie Davis; his stepson, Cedric Stenerette; his 40 grandchildren; his 10 great-grandchildren; and his 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, along with all who knew and loved him, the death of Hezekiah Davis; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Hezekiah Davis.