Full Text of SR1973 100th General Assembly
SR1973 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 | | learn of the death of Dr. Marcellus J. Leonard of Springfield, | 4 | | who passed away on August 3, 2018; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Leonard was born in Chicago to Julia Mae | 6 | | and raised by her husband, Lonnie Leonard; he married Barbara | 7 | | Bolden in 1960, and she preceded him in death; after many years | 8 | | in retail management, he was inspired to return to college and | 9 | | complete his bachelor's degree; he earned both his bachelor's | 10 | | degree and master's degree from Chicago State University, where | 11 | | he graduated cum laude; he later earned his Doctor of | 12 | | Philosophy from the University of Illinois; in 1997, he married | 13 | | his longtime friend and companion, Elizabeth Regulas; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Leonard taught poetry, playwriting, and | 15 | | became known as the Poet Professor; he believed that the most | 16 | | effective academic learning environment was the open | 17 | | classroom, where teachers maintain control and the students' | 18 | | cultural and personal perspectives are encouraged as a means to | 19 | | teach them in the cultural context; he was an associate pastor | 20 | | at Calvary Baptist Church, where he also participated in the | 21 | | choir; he was later given the opportunity to serve at Heritage | 22 | | Free Will Baptist Church as the pastor, a job he dove into with | 23 | | excitement and anticipation; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Leonard often spoke at churches, prisons, | 2 | | and for civic groups; he was a founding member of The Poets and | 3 | | Writers Literary Forum of Springfield, where he mentored | 4 | | Central Illinois poets; he was known for his satin voice and | 5 | | graceful readings, which were often accompanied by jazz, | 6 | | including his son playing saxophone; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Leonard was a poet, writer, and lover of | 8 | | the performing arts; he enjoyed traveling and relaxing at home | 9 | | with Liz, planting his flower gardens, inviting friends over | 10 | | for dinner and conversation, worshiping, praying, and | 11 | | studying; he was one of the most generous people and gave | 12 | | selflessly of his time and resources to make someone else's | 13 | | burden a little less heavy; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Leonard was preceded in death by his | 15 | | parents; his brother, Clarence (Moon); and his sisters, | 16 | | Frances, Jacqueline (Big Jacque), and Bernice; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, Pastor Leonard is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; | 18 | | his children, Traysee (Mayme), La'-Trice Anderson, and Terry | 19 | | (Colin) Pinkney; his stepsons, Anthony (Barbara) and Andre | 20 | | Person; his brother-in-law, Matt (Vicki) Christmon; his | 21 | | grandchildren, Alex Bryson, Eryn (Gerard) Hazelton, Ja'slyn | 22 | | Anderson, Jazmine Leonard, Alyx Reid, Jessica Anderson, |
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| 1 | | d'Artagnan Landing, (Johnathan) John Anderson IV, Isaac | 2 | | Pinkney, Joshua Anderson, Jadah Pinkney, Joy Anderson, John | 3 | | Pinkney, and Jireh Pinkney; his stepgrandsons, Charles III and | 4 | | Christopher Buckley; his step-great-grandchildren, Samia, | 5 | | Kameron, and Tamira Buckley; his sister, Shirley Carter; his | 6 | | cousin, Phyliss Echols; his nieces and nephews, Gwen, Wallace, | 7 | | Jeanette, Jackie (Bae Bae), Dana, Von, Keli, and LaSharon; his | 8 | | pastor, Silas Johnson; his church family at Heritage Church; | 9 | | and The Fabulous Five, Paula Irby, Richard Green, George | 10 | | Vaughn, Brian Jackson, and Larry Wedding; therefore, be it
| 11 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL | 12 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 13 | | Dr. Marcellus J. Leonard and extend our sincere condolences to | 14 | | his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | 15 | | further
| 16 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 17 | | presented to the family of Pastor Leonard as an expression of | 18 | | our deepest sympathy.
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