Full Text of SR0544 102nd General Assembly
SR0544 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | 3 | | to learn of the death of Sam Polk of Peoria, who passed away on | 4 | | September 17, 2021; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Sam Polk was born in Memphis, Tennessee to | 6 | | Charlie and Nellie Jane (Jones) Polk on March 6, 1935 and | 7 | | received his early education in the Memphis school system; he | 8 | | moved to the Peoria area in the 1940s and attended Greenley | 9 | | and, later, Woodruff High School; he was a Boy Scout at Carver | 10 | | Center, Troop 38; he was inducted into the U.S. Army on March | 11 | | 15, 1955 and honorably served his country, including time | 12 | | spent in the Army Reserve, until March 15, 1963; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Sam Polk worked for the Peoria Public Works | 14 | | Department for over 45 years; he served as a supervisor and | 15 | | retired in 2002; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Sam Polk began serving the Peoria community | 17 | | through the National Association for the Advancement of | 18 | | Colored People (NAACP) local branch; as vice president, he | 19 | | advocated for equal employment opportunities for minorities, | 20 | | justice, voting rights, and overall basic human rights through | 21 | | peaceful boycotts, demonstrations, and organization; he | 22 | | volunteered and advocated for equality and had been a lifetime |
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| 1 | | member of the NAACP since the 1950s; and | 2 | | WHEREAS, Sam Polk was a former member of the Henry Brown | 3 | | Lodge PHA and member of the Peoria Tri-County Urban League's | 4 | | Guild; through the Tri-County Urban League, he supported the | 5 | | city's youth and the Scientists, Technicians and Managers | 6 | | Program; he also supported the Carver Center and served on the | 7 | | committee to reopen the center after its 2011 closure, which | 8 | | resulted in its reopening in 2013; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, In his retirement, Sam Polk served as a mentor to | 10 | | a number of young men, teaching them work ethics, goal | 11 | | setting, financial management through stipends, decision | 12 | | making, character building, community involvement, and skill | 13 | | development through apprenticeship opportunities; he enjoyed | 14 | | supporting worthy causes, people, and organizations; he was | 15 | | always willing to give a hand to those willing to take a step; | 16 | | he contributed to many notable organizations, including the | 17 | | Heritage Ensemble, St. Martin De Porres Boy Scout Troop, local | 18 | | food pantries, Girl Scouts, St. Jude, Susan B. Komen, and The | 19 | | Whitney M. Young Jr. annual events; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Sam Polk had an amazing sense of humor, and he | 21 | | loved jazz music, especially albums by Myles Davis; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, Sam Polk was preceded in death by his parents; |
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| 1 | | his daughter, Sheryl Gulley; his brother, James Polk; his | 2 | | grandson, Jonathan; and his nephew, Kevin Polk; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Sam Polk is survived by his wife of 47 years, Jean | 4 | | A. Polk; his children, Kenneth Sam Polk Sr. and Celeste | 5 | | (Donald) Polk-Coverdell; his grandchildren, Darnell, Kenneth | 6 | | Jr. (Tyeisha), Kevin Sr. (Jazmyn), Caleb, and Donavan; his | 7 | | great-grandchildren, Skylar, Kailani, Kassadi, Kevin Jr., | 8 | | Kennedi, and Kaydence; his nieces, Jonelle (Daniel) McCloud, | 9 | | Rebecca Polk, and Karen (Billy) Raymond; and numerous other | 10 | | relatives and many friends; therefore, be it
| 11 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL | 12 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 13 | | Sam Polk and extend our sincere condolences to his family, | 14 | | friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
| 15 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 16 | | presented to the family of Sam Polk as an expression of our | 17 | | deepest sympathy.
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