SR0296 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0296 LRB097 12718 KXB 57206 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Sharon Lee Gromala-Walton, who passed away on July 17, 2011; and

WHEREAS, She was born December 21, 1952 in Chicago; she married Gene Walton on July 24, 1976; and

WHEREAS, She committed herself to the service of others; she started her career in social work as a teenage counselor at Gadshill Settlement House in the heart of the Chicago community; inspired by this work, she pursued her undergraduate degree at Southern Illinois University in 1974 and earned her master's degree from the University of Illinois in 1976; she retired in 2010 after 35 years as a social worker with the Waukegan Public Schools and joined Family Partnership to provide early intervention services to many families in the Lake County area; and

WHEREAS, In 2007, she received the State of Illinois "Social Worker of the Year" award and the "Midwest Social Worker of the Year" award; and

WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Irene (Vaclena) Gromala; her sister, Victoria; and her brother, Edward J. (Tamara) Gromala; and

WHEREAS, Sharon Lee Gromala-Walton is survived by her loving husband, Gene; her sons, Jared (Yadira) and Jordan (Abbey) Walton; her granddaughter, Ayanna Milan; her sister, Thaddine (Al) Gomez; her nieces and nephews, Sam, Vicky, Maggie, Lourdes, and Lauren; and many other nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Sharon Lee Gromala-Walton; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Sharon Lee Gromala-Walton as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.