SR0471 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0471 LRB095 15148 GRL 41113 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Loice Woods, who passed away on December 5, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Loice Woods was born on November 17, 1933 in Tunica, Mississippi; he was the seventh of twelve children born to Bill and Irene Woods; and

WHEREAS, Loice Woods began working with his family in the fields as a sharecropper at the age of 2; he professed his belief in Christ as a young boy at the Oak Grove MB Church; he relocated to Detroit, Michigan as a young man, living with his older brother Warren to attend school; he later rejoined his family in Blytheville, Arkansas, where he met and married the love of his life, Pearlene Claybrooks; together, they had 6 children; and

WHEREAS, In 1959, Loice Woods became employed with the Harris Hub Company in Harvey; he worked for the Harris Hub Company until 1968, when he began working for the Chicago Transit Authority as a rail janitor; he retired from the Chicago Transit Authority in 1993 after 28 years of dedicated service, garnering a sterling reputation as a hard worker who never missed a day of work; and

WHEREAS, After the untimely death of his wife in 1968, it fell upon Loice Woods to take care of his family alone, a task he performed with great success; he will be remembered by his family as a loving and dedicated father who would do anything to make sure that his children had what they needed, no matter the cost; and

WHEREAS, Loice Woods also enjoyed coaching Little League Baseball teams in the Altgeld Community during the early years of his children's lives, as well as acting as a father figure to the children who gathered at the Woods' home; and

WHEREAS, Loice Woods was preceded in death by his parents, Bill and Irene; his loving wife, Pearlene; his brothers, Richard and Warren; and his sisters, Willie May Christian, Charlene, Hannah Sloan, and Priscilla Rayford; and

WHEREAS, Loice Woods is survived by his children, Loisteen Walker (Enrico), William (Doretha), Donald (Linda), Dalton, Herrod (Angela), and Phyllis; his surrogate son, Bryant Simmons (Kim); his sisters, Ernestine Harris, Lucy Woods, and Irene Tyler; his brothers, William and Elmer; his brothers-in-law, Joe Willie Claybrooks (Doll), Eldorado Claybrooks, Jackie Claybrooks, and James Claybrooks; his sisters-in-law, Evelyn Hinton (Eddie) and Glendora Claybrooks; his 20 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren; his 41 step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; and his many nephews, nieces, other relatives, and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Loice Woods; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Loice Woods as an expression of our sympathy.