Full Text of SR0113 103rd General Assembly
SR0113 103RD 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 Auxiliary Bishop Napoleon "Bill" | 4 | | Harris Sr.; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris was born to Frank Harris and Idella | 6 | | Brown in Jackson, Mississippi on December 13, 1935; at a young | 7 | | age, he was affectionately called "Billbo" by an aunt, and his | 8 | | nickname was eventually shortened to "Bill"; he moved to | 9 | | Chicago at eight years old; he received his primary education | 10 | | within the Chicago Public Schools system; he attended DuSable | 11 | | High School, where he excelled in his studies and was a cross | 12 | | country runner on the track team; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris left high school early to join the | 14 | | U.S. Air Force during the Korean War; he had one child before | 15 | | he was stationed in Alaska for two and a half years; during his | 16 | | service, he completed his high school studies and attended the | 17 | | University of Alaska in Anchorage; he joined the Church of God | 18 | | in Christ (COGIC); he then married Barbara Stephen, and their | 19 | | union had five children; he concluded his military service | 20 | | after approximately four years; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, To provide for his growing family, Bishop Harris | 22 | | worked at the U.S. Post Office, The Western Electric Company |
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| 1 | | as a machine operator, a flour factory, a cab company as a | 2 | | chauffeur, the Central Wax Paper Company, and the Chicago | 3 | | Transit Authority (CTA) as a bus driver, occasionally working | 4 | | two jobs; he also continued to pursue his education, enrolling | 5 | | at the Dunbar Vocational High School to pursue a degree in | 6 | | Design and Tailoring; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris began a new chapter in his life, | 8 | | marrying Sherelene A. Robinson on February 7, 1966, and their | 9 | | union had two children; he became community minded and was | 10 | | involved in the civil rights movement; he earned his | 11 | | bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Roosevelt | 12 | | University while simultaneously working several managerial | 13 | | positions for Department of Labor and the Department of Mental | 14 | | Health at Madden Mental Health Center in Hines; he was | 15 | | eventually promoted as director of the Rehabilitation Workshop | 16 | | Programs; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris went on to obtain two master's | 18 | | degrees in Public Administration and Theology Studies; he was | 19 | | a civil servant for 30 years and concluded his tenure with the | 20 | | State of Illinois as a regional business manager; upon being | 21 | | awarded his master's degree in Public Administration, he | 22 | | joined forces with the University of Illinois Hospital as a | 23 | | health center and hospital administrator; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris pursued his theology studies at the | 2 | | Moody Baptist Institute–Chicago and the Logos Graduate College | 3 | | in New York; he was ordained in 1974; he was also an avid | 4 | | worker in the Jurisdictional Sunday School Department; he was | 5 | | affiliated with The Reed's Temple COGIC, Penson Temple COGIC, | 6 | | and Tabernacle COGIC before becoming a pastor in 1979; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris established The Community COGIC in | 8 | | 1979; along with his wife, Sherelene, they overcame racial | 9 | | barriers, threats, and vandalism as the founders of the first | 10 | | Black church in the Village of Hazel Crest; their church | 11 | | remained in Hazel Crest for 27 years until it was moved to a | 12 | | much larger property in Hammond, Indiana in 2007; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris' service extended beyond his local | 14 | | church; he was appointed as a district superintendent and an | 15 | | administrative assistant by Prelate Ocie Booker; he was | 16 | | recommended for elevation to the episcopacy by Bishop Booker | 17 | | in 2018; he was consecrated as an auxiliary bishop at the COGIC | 18 | | Holy Convocation in St. Louis, Missouri in 2019; he also | 19 | | served as a father figure to many young elders in First | 20 | | Jurisdiction Illinois; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris enjoyed traveling and loved | 22 | | celebrating his children's successes and contributions to | 23 | | humanity; he will be remembered as a community leader, an |
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| 1 | | advocate for education, and a man of faith; and | 2 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris was preceded in death by his | 3 | | parents; his brother, Sylvester Collins; his son, Napoleon | 4 | | Harris Jr.; and his grandson, Shannon Smith; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Bishop Harris is survived by his wife of 57 | 6 | | years, Sherelene A. Harris; his children, Jamal (Gloria) | 7 | | Akbar, Arlene Little, Derrick Harris, Keith (Vonda) Harris, | 8 | | Steven (Evelyn) Harris, Jeraldyne (Anthony) Harris-Stimage, | 9 | | and Jarrett (Joy) Harris; his daughter-in-law, Brenda Harris; | 10 | | his bonus children, Charletta Little, Willa (Zachary) | 11 | | Knighton, Mario Little, and Marco Little; his grandchildren, | 12 | | Darell Hann, Jamil Hann, Jamal Akbar Jr., Jamillah Ellis, | 13 | | Antonio Harris, Fernando Little, Reginald Little, Lonniece | 14 | | Boone, Khiesha Boone, Shikar Boone, State Senator Napoleon B. | 15 | | (Nicole) Harris III, Tomeika Anderson, Asia Thurston, Jonathan | 16 | | Harris, Keisha Owens, Derek Hudson, Steven Harris Jr., Jonas | 17 | | Harris, Quintin Harris, Ikea Harris, Marvin Simpson, Chariti | 18 | | Phillips, and Hope Harris; his great-grandchildren; his | 19 | | great-great grandchildren; his sister, Idella "Adell" Brown, | 20 | | his sons in faith; his nieces, nephews, and cousins; his | 21 | | friends; and his congregation of 42 years, The Community | 22 | | COGIC; therefore, be it
| 23 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL |
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| 1 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
| 2 | | Auxiliary Bishop Napoleon "Bill" Harris Sr. and extend our | 3 | | sincere
condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew | 4 | | and loved
him; and be it further
| 5 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
| 6 | | presented to the family of Bishop Harris as an expression of
| 7 | | our deepest sympathy.
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