Full Text of HR0794 101st General Assembly
HR0794 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Willie | 4 | | Mae Hopson of Peoria, who passed away on February 22, 2020; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Willie Mae Hopson was born in Cruger, Mississippi | 6 | | to Willie and Ellen (Randle) Gordon on October 22, 1935; she | 7 | | was educated in the Mississippi and Peoria public school | 8 | | systems; she married Charlie B. Thomas in 1953; after his | 9 | | passing, she married Waymon H. Harper Sr. on December 7, 1958; | 10 | | after his passing, she married Artis Hopson in 1982; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Willie Mae Hopson's early jobs included being a | 12 | | candy striper and working in the preemie center at OSF (St. | 13 | | Francis Hospital); in 1995, she retired from her administrative | 14 | | duties at Caterpillar to care for her mother; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, Willie Mae Hopson was politically active and | 16 | | served many years as an election judge; twice, she visited the | 17 | | White House, and she attended President Barack Obama's second | 18 | | inauguration; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, For 70 years, Willie Mae Hopson was a dedicated | 20 | | member of New Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church; she | 21 | | served as former Annual Calendar Tea Chair and worked with the |
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| 1 | | culinary staff, Deaconess Board, Mother's Council, One Church, | 2 | | One Child Foster Care Program, Church Missions, and Helping | 3 | | Hands Committee; she visited the sick and, through the | 4 | | Mentorship Ministry, shared her guidance; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, Willie Mae Hopson was an avid bowler and finished | 6 | | a stellar bowling career of 46 years; her culinary skill-set | 7 | | was unrivaled; in the neighborhood, she was revered as a | 8 | | village mom; she was the "Queen of Clean" and hosted annual | 9 | | yard sales and Super Bowl parties; she was a classy lady when | 10 | | it came to travel and was a jet-setter; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Willie Mae Hopson loved to garden and possessed a | 12 | | green thumb; during the spring and summer months, she would be | 13 | | on the fish banks laughing with her sons and buddies; her | 14 | | weekly fish fry always brought family and friends together; she | 15 | | loved watching the Steve Harvey Show, Family Feud, Wheel of | 16 | | Fortune, Rachel Maddow, and Judge Judy; she enjoyed completing | 17 | | crossword puzzles, and her happy place was relaxing on Martha's | 18 | | Vineyard; and
| 19 | | WHEREAS, Willie Mae Hopson was preceded in death by her | 20 | | first husband, Charlie; her second husband, Waymon; her | 21 | | parents; and her brother, J.P. (Buck) Gordon; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, Willie Mae Hopson is survived by her husband of 38 |
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| 1 | | years, Artis Hopson; her daughters, Mae Catherine Godhigh, | 2 | | Wanda F. Thomas, Vachon K. (Thaddeus) Harper Young, and Nadine | 3 | | Hopson Redmond; her sons, Charles D. Thomas, Andre' A. Harper, | 4 | | Waymon H. (Angela) Harper Jr., and Sean (Cyrie) Hopson; | 5 | | numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, other family, and | 6 | | friends; her sister-in-loves, Freida Gordon, Georgia (Dimp) | 7 | | Gordon Little, Geneva Randle King, Helen Scott, Sophia Woods, | 8 | | and Mary Ann King; her special bowling buddy and niece, Imogene | 9 | | (Gordon) Simmons; and her special Godson, Antwine Freeman; | 10 | | therefore, be it
| 11 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 12 | | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 13 | | we mourn the passing of Willie Mae Hopson and extend our | 14 | | sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew | 15 | | and loved her; and be it further
| 16 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 17 | | presented to the family of Willie Mae Hopson as an expression | 18 | | of our deepest sympathy.
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