Full Text of SR1254 101st General Assembly
SR1254 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 | | learn of the death of Barbara Alexander Mullarkey, who passed | 4 | | away on April 15, 2020 at the age of 84; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey was born on August 1, 1935 in | 6 | | Oak Park to Olive (Kennedy) and Benjamin Alexander; she | 7 | | graduated from Ascension School in 1949, Trinity High School in | 8 | | 1953, and Rosary College (now Dominican University) in 1957; | 9 | | her Trinity and Rosary friendships lasted throughout her | 10 | | lifetime and were highlighted by cherished reunions every | 11 | | summer that spanned over 60 years; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey worked at Commonwealth Edison | 13 | | after college, demonstrating new-era electric appliances at a | 14 | | time when women were just starting the fight for work force | 15 | | equality; a true trailblazer, she had a company car and an | 16 | | expense account; and | 17 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey met her future husband, John | 18 | | Mullarkey, while at ComEd, and they planted deep roots in Oak | 19 | | Park with their five children on the infamous 200 block of | 20 | | South Elmwood with a colorful group of neighbors who would | 21 | | quickly become and remain a family; with over 100 children | 22 | | living on the block, she became the organizer of iconic block |
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| 1 | | parties that were the highlight of the kids' summers, including | 2 | | water balloon wars and epic block-wide scavenger hunts, as well | 3 | | as "Spooktacular" haunted houses at Halloween; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey was a fixture at Ascension | 5 | | School and St. Luke School, Lincoln Elementary, Roosevelt | 6 | | Middle School, WSSRA, Oak Park-River Forest youth programs, and | 7 | | Oak Park River Forest High School, where she was one of their | 8 | | longest-tenured sports fans; she attended over 1,000 games and | 9 | | traveled over 10,000 miles, supporting her grandkids and their | 10 | | teammates and loving every minute of it; she knew the coaches, | 11 | | refs, umpires and scorekeepers and was never afraid to share | 12 | | her opinions and statistics; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey advocated for the most | 14 | | vulnerable and felt strongly about lending her voice and energy | 15 | | to causes that protected the environment; she was not afraid to | 16 | | express her perspective and concerns with presidents, | 17 | | senators, congressmen, village presidents, trustees, and state | 18 | | senators, including regular, vigorous, and enthusiastic | 19 | | communiques to one Senator Don Harmon; and | 20 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey championed many nutrition, | 21 | | health, and wellness causes; her crusades involved educating | 22 | | others on ingredients and chemicals in our food, drink, and | 23 | | medicine supply, banning pesticides in parks, raising |
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| 1 | | awareness of the harmful effects of AstroTurf, fighting | 2 | | fracking and smart meters, advocating removal of mercury from | 3 | | vaccines, raising mental health awareness, and promoting | 4 | | alternative medicine ideologies, such as acupuncture, massage, | 5 | | and homeopathy; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey had many passions that included | 7 | | being a founding member and nutrition columnist for the | 8 | | Wednesday Journal, a journalist for Oak Park News, Conscious | 9 | | Choice, and Vegetarian Times, a proud supporter of Maryville | 10 | | Academy, Oak Leyden Developmental Services, and WSSRA, an | 11 | | advocate for prison food reform, a charter member of Handy | 12 | | Hands, a tireless Ascension School volunteer, and an OPRF | 13 | | Huskie Booster Club member; she supported IVAC, the Oak Park | 14 | | Environmental Network, and HOPP and was a Nutrivoice editor; | 15 | | she was the author of Bittersweet Aspartame: A Diet Delusion, | 16 | | and a children's book agent; and | 17 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey was true to herself and all | 18 | | those she loved; if she had one wish, she would want everyone | 19 | | to be good to themselves and others, living by the Shakespeare | 20 | | quote "To thine own self be true"; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey adored her family and was | 22 | | treasured by her friends to whom she was a confidant and | 23 | | advisor; she was known for her generous spirit, warmth, |
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| 1 | | kindness, and inquisitive soul, and her true legacy is her 11 | 2 | | grandchildren whom she considered her proudest | 3 | | accomplishments; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey was preceded in death by John T. | 5 | | Mullarkey, and her sisters, Elizabeth Alexander, Lorraine | 6 | | (Bob) Carpenter, Mary Clare, and Regina Alexander; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Barbara Mullarkey is survived by her devoted | 8 | | children, John Patrick, Ellen (Scott) Nelson, Daniel (Lauren | 9 | | Sherman), Karen (Marty) Kerrins, and Ann (Daniel) Ganschow; her | 10 | | grandchildren, Kiley, Allie, Maeve, Grace, Johnny, Riley, | 11 | | Keegan, Regan, Patrick, Connor, and Declan; her many nieces, | 12 | | nephews and cousins; and many friends; therefore, be it
| 13 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | 14 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 15 | | Barbara Alexander Mullarkey and extend our sincere condolences | 16 | | to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be | 17 | | it further
| 18 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 19 | | presented to the family of Barbara Mullarkey as an expression | 20 | | of our deepest sympathy.
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