SR0720 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0720 LRB094 20287 RAS 58302 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Dr. Delancey Howard Moore of East St. Louis on Sunday, April 2, 2006; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Moore was born on September 20, 1951, in St. Louis, Missouri to Katherine Reynolds and Ellis T. "Beef" Moore; he was an only child, reared by his loving mother, grandmother, Renthie Reynolds, and aunt, Carrie Cannon; he followed the guidance and wisdom of these three women, as he matured into a man of exemplary stature; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Moore received his formal education in the East St. Louis school system, graduating from East St. Louis Senior High School in January, 1970; his educational journey was steady and progressive; he attended Eden Theological Seminary and was a graduate of Parkland College in Champaign; he received a Doctorate of Philosophy from LaSalle University in Mandeville, Louisiana; he was also a graduate of the U.S. Department of Justice Training Academy, the National Sheriffs Association, and the F.B.I. Academy in Quantico, Virginia; and

WHEREAS, On April 5, 1975, Dr. Moore married Debra Anne Holt; the couple enjoyed thirty-one years of marriage; he was a devoted husband and father to his three children, Delancey II, Darrington, and Marcia; he was very proud of his family and drew strength from their love; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Moore enjoyed a stellar career in criminal justice; he was Parole Supervisor for the Illinois Department of Corrections, which comprises St. Clair and eleven other Southern Illinois counties; in the past, he served as a Probation Officer for St. Clair County's Probation and Court Services Department, 20th Judicial Circuit, a Correctional Officer, a Classification Specialist, a Training Academy Director, and ultimately, Jail Superintendent at the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Moore was appointed and served as a member of the State of Illinois Prisoner Review Board; he taught in the Criminal Justice Department at Southwestern Illinois College; he was most proud of founding a family business, Moore Memorials, which specializes in headstones and plaques; and

WHEREAS, On February 10, 1986, Dr. Moore entered ministry at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in East St. Louis; as one of Mt. Zion's proud "Sons of Thunder", he was ordained as a Baptist Minister on June 5, 1988; also in 1988, he was elected to serve as pastor of the Abyssinian Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, Missouri, where he served as spiritual leader for eleven years until October 3, 1999 when he was sent by God and elected pastor by the congregation of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in East St. Louis; and

WHEREAS, Having been inspired by his mentor and godfather, the late Marion E. Officer, Sr., Dr. Moore became a student of oratory; he honed his skills over the past twenty-two years as the radio voice for the Officer Funeral Homes' weekly Sunday night broadcast; he became a licensed funeral director with Officer Funeral Homes in 1991, incorporating his unique brand of empathy and compassion to the families he served; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Moore received various service awards and professional recognitions through the years; he had many interests and affiliations, including membership in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., East St. Louis Alumni Chapter, where he served as Lt. Strategus and Southern Cross Lodge No. 112; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; his grandmother, Renthie Reynolds; his father-in-law, Myles E. Holt; his grandmother-in-law, Annie "Nana" Thompson; and his grandfather-in-law, George "Papa" Thompson; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Dr. Delancey Howard Moore has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Debra Holt Moore; his children, Delancey H. Moore, II, Darrington H. Moore, and Marcia D. Byrd; his aunt, Carrie Cannon; his great aunt, Sennie Adams; his cousins, Francis Washington, Shirley Grey, George Washington, and James Lincoln; his mother-in-law, Delores Y. Holt; his brother-in-law, Myles E. Holt, II; his niece, Kailey M. Holt; other relatives; his second family, M. Bernadette Officer, Carl E. Officer, and Marion E. Officer, II; his very special friends, Senator James F. Clayborne, Jr., V. Kenneth Johnson, Christopher McKinley, Parris McIntosh, Stephen Bond, and Dexter Lang; his numerous friends and co-workers; his St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church family; his Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church family; and all those who love the Lord; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dr. Delancey Howard Moore and we extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to his family as an expression of our deepest sympathy for their loss.