Full Text of SR0716 95th General Assembly
SR0716 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
|
|
|
SR0716 |
|
LRB095 21449 GRL 50893 r |
|
| 1 |
| SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 |
| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 |
| learn of the death of
Fern O. Watts of East St. Louis, who | 4 |
| passed away on April 27, 2008; and
| 5 |
| WHEREAS, Fern O. Watts was born on August 4, 1924 in | 6 |
| Natchitoches, Louisiana; she was the youngest of three | 7 |
| daughters to Jessie and Mary Shannon; and
| 8 |
| WHEREAS, Fern O. Watts grew up in Natchitoches, Louisiana | 9 |
| until her junior year in high school, when she moved to Hot | 10 |
| Springs, Arkansas; she worked as a florist and in a dress-shop | 11 |
| while attending high school; she also volunteered at the high | 12 |
| school, where she washed blackboards, swept floors, and | 13 |
| assisted with other custodial work; and
| 14 |
| WHEREAS, Fern O. Watts received her formal education in the | 15 |
| Louisiana and Arkansas Public School System; she continued her | 16 |
| education in East St. Louis at State Community College and | 17 |
| Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville; and
| 18 |
| WHEREAS, Fern O. Watts moved to East St. Louis in the early | 19 |
| 1940s, where she met her soul mate Leroy "Chops" Watts, Sr., | 20 |
| marrying him in 1945; in addition to raising their only child, | 21 |
| Janice, they assisted with the upbringing of his three sons |
|
|
|
SR0716 |
- 2 - |
LRB095 21449 GRL 50893 r |
|
| 1 |
| from a previous marriage; Fern and Leroy eventually became | 2 |
| members of the Mt. Parin Baptist Church, which would later be | 3 |
| known as Mt. Paron for more than 60 years; and
| 4 |
| WHEREAS, Fern O. Watts' work history includes employers | 5 |
| such as Walgreen's and the City of East St. Louis, where she | 6 |
| served in positions including Model Cities, the Community | 7 |
| Development Department, the Economic Development Department, | 8 |
| and the Real Estate Division; and | 9 |
| WHEREAS, Fern O. Watts was a community leader and activist, | 10 |
| working tirelessly for the citizens of East St. Louis; her | 11 |
| accomplishments and participation with various organizations | 12 |
| spanned over a 30 year period; she was the recipient of the | 13 |
| Kimmel Community Service Award in 2001 in the environmental and | 14 |
| civic betterment category in recognition of her work; and
| 15 |
| WHEREAS, Fern O. Watts was involved in many civic | 16 |
| organizations; she was a member of Solutia's Community Advisory | 17 |
| Panel, the New Mississippi River Bridge Project Community | 18 |
| Involvement Group, and the University of Illinois Urban | 19 |
| Planning Group; she was the president and creator of the South | 20 |
| End New Development Organization (SENDO); she was a Past | 21 |
| President of the Metro East Toastmasters Club #2878; in January | 22 |
| of 2007, she was honored as Citizen of the Month by the City of | 23 |
| East St. Louis; and |
|
|
|
SR0716 |
- 3 - |
LRB095 21449 GRL 50893 r |
|
| 1 |
| WHEREAS, Despite her numerous other commitments, Fern O. | 2 |
| Watts took the time to read to students at one of the local | 3 |
| elementary schools once a week; and
| 4 |
| WHEREAS, Fern O. Watts was preceded in death by her | 5 |
| parents; her husband; and her sisters, Willis Lewis and Opal M. | 6 |
| Jackson; and | 7 |
| WHEREAS, Fern O. Watts is survived by her daughter, Janice | 8 |
| R. Watts; her godson, Reverend Anthony D. Vinson, Sr.; her | 9 |
| special nephew and niece, Phillip Lewis and Deloris Benjamin; | 10 |
| her 11 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren, and 13 | 11 |
| great-great grandchildren; her sister-in-law, Derender L. | 12 |
| Watts; her brother-in-law, Ralph T. (Betty) Eubanks; and a host | 13 |
| of other nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; therefore, be | 14 |
| it
| 15 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL | 16 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with | 17 |
| her family and friends, the passing of Fern O. Watts; and be it | 18 |
| further
| 19 |
| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 20 |
| presented to the family of Fern O. Watts as an expression of | 21 |
| our sympathy.
|
|