Full Text of SR0691 103rd General Assembly
SR0691 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | | | SR0691 | | LRB103 36621 LAW 66730 r |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION | 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | 3 | | to learn of the death of Joseph McKinley "Joe" Wars of Elgin, | 4 | | who passed away on December 13, 2023; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, Joe Wars was born to Arthur Joseph and Fannie | 6 | | Jackson Wars in Charlottesville, Virginia on May 13, 1942; he | 7 | | was baptized at an early age at First Baptist Church on West | 8 | | Main Street in Charlottesville; he graduated from Carver High | 9 | | School in Newport News, Virginia and attended Virginia State | 10 | | University; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Joe Wars had an illustrious sales career, | 12 | | starting with Sears & Roebuck in the late 1960s and continuing | 13 | | with Mattel Toys, Ferry Morris Seed Company, and Ron Hopkins | 14 | | Ford; in 1976, he was transferred by the Ferry Morris Seed | 15 | | Company from Roanoke, Virginia to Elgin, Illinois, where he | 16 | | served as district manager; he received numerous awards from | 17 | | the Ferry Morris Seed Company as well as his other employers; | 18 | | and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Joe Wars was dedicated to serving his community | 20 | | wherever he resided; he was a past president of the national | 21 | | chapter of the Black Jaycees while living in Roanoke, | 22 | | Virginia, and he became a lifetime member of the local chapter |
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| 1 | | in Elgin; he chaired the City of Elgin's Dr. King Annual Food | 2 | | Drive since its inception in 2011; he served on the board of | 3 | | directors for the Elgin Boys and Girls Club and also belonged | 4 | | to the Elgin Human Relations Commission and the Elgin Image | 5 | | and Advisory Committee; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Joe Wars especially enjoyed celebrating and | 7 | | volunteering at Christmas; for many years, he donned a Santa | 8 | | suit, and he and his daughter, Stephanie, who served as his elf | 9 | | helper, distributed toys to children in the hospital; he also | 10 | | helped deliver gifts from the Salvation Army to area families; | 11 | | and | 12 | | WHEREAS, For his volunteerism, Joe Wars received Elgin's | 13 | | Dr. King Legacy Award in 2017 and was named the honorary | 14 | | chairperson of the city's 2023 Crop Walk; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, Joe Wars was known for his warm and welcoming | 16 | | personality; he will be remembered for his legacy of helping | 17 | | others; and | 18 | | WHEREAS, Joe Wars was preceded in death by his parents; | 19 | | his brothers, Francis Jerome and Anthony Wendell Wars; and his | 20 | | aunt and uncle, Rosalee and Lawrence Keyes; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, Joe Wars is survived by his wife of 59 Years, |
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| 1 | | Jeannette Davis Wars; his daughter, Stephanie (Martin) | 2 | | Wars-Williams; his grandchildren, Marissa, Ryan, and Taylor; | 3 | | his great-granddaughter, Olivia; his brother, Arthur Wars; his | 4 | | sister, Camilla (William) Wars Mitchell; his nieces, Chekisha | 5 | | and Yoma; his special cousins, Pauletta and Lawrence; and a | 6 | | host of other relatives and friends; therefore, be it | 7 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | 8 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 9 | | Joseph McKinley "Joe" Wars and extend our sincere condolences | 10 | | to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be | 11 | | it further | 12 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 13 | | presented to the family of Joe Wars as an expression of our | 14 | | deepest sympathy. |
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