Full Text of HR0108 103rd General Assembly
HR0108 103RD 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 Mattie | 4 | | Ree Smith-Eiland, who passed away on February 16, 2023; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland was born in Gary, Indiana | 6 | | to Cornelius Smith and Rosia Ann Cumberland-Smith on November | 7 | | 11, 1928 and spent her formative years in Jackson, | 8 | | Mississippi; she excelled at both Sally Reynolds Elementary | 9 | | School and Jim Hill High School; she graduated from the | 10 | | Jackson College for Negro Teachers (Jackson State University) | 11 | | with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education; she did | 12 | | advanced degree work at Indiana State University; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland began her teaching career | 14 | | in McComb, Mississippi and eventually returned to Jackson to | 15 | | teach at her alma mater, Sally Reynolds Elementary School; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland married Bernard H. Eiland | 17 | | in 1953, and they eventually settled in Chicago, where they | 18 | | attended Olivet Baptist Church; she taught in the Ford Heights | 19 | | and East Chicago Heights school districts; in 1970, she joined | 20 | | the Chicago Public School System and began teaching at Myra | 21 | | Bradwell Elementary School; she went above and beyond the | 22 | | requirements of the classroom and would often form personal |
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| 1 | | relationships with many of her students; as a result of her | 2 | | efforts and dedication, she was a multi-year honoree in Who's | 3 | | Who Among American Teachers & Educators; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland was passionate about her | 5 | | community; she served as a board member for Grandma's House | 6 | | for Battered Women and the Joint Negro Appeal; she sponsored | 7 | | the Myra Bradwell Chapter of the National Jr. Beta Club and the | 8 | | Red Circle Girls of Olivet Baptist Church; she was also a | 9 | | faithful member of the St. Stephens Lutheran Church for over | 10 | | 20 years; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland retired from teaching for | 12 | | the Chicago Public School System after 53 years but continued | 13 | | to stay active; she became a member of the National Coalition | 14 | | of 100 Black Women, while also working with pregnant teenage | 15 | | girls; she enjoyed spending time with her family, babysitting, | 16 | | talking with her friends, traveling, and continuing to educate | 17 | | and encourage all those she encountered; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland was preceded in death by | 19 | | her husband, Bernard Eiland; her parents; her brothers, | 20 | | Prentiss Smith, Cornelius Smith II, and Daniel Cumberland; her | 21 | | sisters, Ophia Dee and Mary Rembert; her niece, Sandra D. | 22 | | Smith-Edwards; and her nephew, Fredrick A. Smith; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland is survived by her | 2 | | daughter, Harriet; her sisters-in-law, Sarah Williams and | 3 | | Dorothy Lewis; her family members, Marvin (Anitra), Frederic | 4 | | "Bernie" (Theresa), Chris (Dominique), Marcus, Andres, | 5 | | Abraham, Terrence, Daniel, Darryl, Phillicia "Nikki" (Calvin), | 6 | | Sheryl D. (Earl), Ava (Andrew), Darla, Stephanie, April, and | 7 | | Tiffany; her special sisters, Yvonne Best, Dr. Lois Sherman, | 8 | | Gladys Norwood, and Carmen Clark; her special son, Donald | 9 | | Reese Sr.; her special neighbors, Mario Tillman and Flora | 10 | | Stone; and numerous nieces, nephews, friends, students, and | 11 | | loved ones; therefore, be it
| 12 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 13 | | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 14 | | we mourn the passing of Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland and extend our | 15 | | sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew | 16 | | and loved her; and be it further
| 17 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 18 | | presented to the family of Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland as an | 19 | | expression of our deepest sympathy.
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