SR0739 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0739 LRB095 21600 GRL 51613 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate were saddened to learn of the death of Georgia Ann Pillow Rountree of Springfield, who passed away on May 26, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Georgia Rountree was born on March 14, 1920 in Nashville, Tennessee; she was the daughter of Robert Armstead and Flora (Collier) Pillow II; she married Alvin Lester Rountree on November 17, 1945 in Corinth, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, Georgia Rountree received her bachelor's degree from Tennessee State University and her master's degrees from Western Illinois University and Sangamon State University; and

WHEREAS, Georgia Rountree began her career as a vocational home economics teacher at Cranes High School in Brownsville, Tennessee; she moved on to serve as a Home Demonstration Agent in Pulaski, Tennessee for the University of Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, In 1946, Georgia Rountree and her husband moved to Springfield, where she was employed as a nursery school teacher; in 1955, she worked as an Assistant Dietitian, teaching Diabetic and Special Diets to patients at St. John's and Memorial Hospitals in Springfield; and

WHEREAS, As a secretary of the YMCA, Georgia Rountree was responsible for organizing the first black Y-Teen for young girls, which participated in the desegregation of the YMCA's swimming pool; and

WHEREAS, After 10 years of attempts, Georgia Rountree eventually became a teacher for Springfield School District 186, one of the first in a group of black teachers to be hired by the district; she went on to serve for 37 years at Edison and Lanphier Schools as a language arts, social studies, civics, consumer education, and American history teacher; she also taught African-American History in summer school classes and taught for several semesters at Blackburn College; and

WHEREAS, Georgia Rountree was a member of Grace United Methodist Church for over 62 years; as a member of the church, she served as President of the United Methodist Women for two terms; she was a member of the choir and was a lay speaker; she served as a Church School teacher; she also served as Chairperson of the Pastor Parish Relation Committee, among many others; and

WHEREAS, Georgia Rountree held many positions within the United Methodist Conference; she served as Chairperson of the Race Relations Committee on Ethnic Local Concerns; she served as Secretary of the United Methodist Women's Commission on Archives and History; she served on numerous commissions, including the Commission on Status Role of Women and the Commission on Nominations, among many others; she taught in the Conference Schools of Christian Mission; she was appointed by Bishop White as a trustee to Wiley College in Marshall, Texas; she also served in numerous positions in the Springfield District level, including Lay Delegate at Large for the Annual Conferences and Certified Lay Speaker; and

WHEREAS, Georgia Rountree was an active member of her community; she served as President of Urban League Guild; she was a member of the Human Relation Commission and the International Visitors' Sister Cities; she was an elected Regional Director for the National Urban League Guilds' Central Region; she served as President of the Grace Urban Ministries Board of Directors and as Director for the Jessie Rogers Child Development Center; she was also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; and

WHEREAS, Georgia Rountree was the recipient of many awards in recognition of her service to her community, including the Teacher of the Year award, a Humanitarian award for Outstanding accomplishments in Education and Community Service, a Wiley College Award for Christian Education and Public Service, a Social Workers and Human Relations of the State of Illinois Humanitarian Award, and a Golden Life Membership award and a scholarship in her name from the Nu Omicron Omega Chapter in Springfield, which she founded and served as president; and

WHEREAS, Georgia Rountree was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Ida Sumerall and Flora "Febbie" Majors; and her brother, Robert Armstead Pillow III; and

WHEREAS, Georgia Rountree is survived by her sister, Bernice Higgins; her son, Dana Alvin Rountree (wife, Carrolyn Delk); her daughter, Janice Lenora Thompson (husband, Anthony); her grandchildren, Devin T. Rountree, Ashley M. Thompson, and Amanda J. Thompson; and her many nieces, nephews, 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 her family and friends, the passing of Georgia Rountree; and be it further

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