Full Text of SR1557 101st General Assembly
SR1557 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | SR1557 | | LRB101 23194 MST 74335 r |
|
| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 | | learn of the death of Taft Rosco Gilliam, who passed away on | 4 | | December 3, 2020; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam was born in Bellefonte, Virginia to | 6 | | Marvin Taft and Emma Mae Gilliam (Winston) on November 1, 1937; | 7 | | he graduated from Virginia State University with a Bachelor of | 8 | | Science in Systems Management in 1959; he was a proud member of | 9 | | Omega Psi Phi fraternity; he joined the U.S. Army on April 5, | 10 | | 1960 and married Theola "Pixie" Rainey on May 26, 1962; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam spent 27 years in the United States | 12 | | Army, achieving the rank of Colonel; his career took him to | 13 | | numerous other countries, including deployments to Taiwan, | 14 | | Luxembourg, Vietnam, Korea, and West Germany; his domestic | 15 | | assignments included time in California, New Mexico, | 16 | | Wisconsin, Illinois, and Alabama; while serving his country, he | 17 | | earned a Master of Science in Systems Management from the | 18 | | University of Southern California in 1977 and various diplomas | 19 | | from the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army Command and | 20 | | General Staff College, and more; he retired from the U.S. Army | 21 | | on August 31, 1987; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam received numerous medals and |
| | | SR1557 | - 2 - | LRB101 23194 MST 74335 r |
|
| 1 | | commendations, including the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit | 2 | | Citation with Palm, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam | 3 | | Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense | 4 | | Service Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation Bronze Star | 5 | | Medal with 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, the Joint Service Commendation | 6 | | Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army | 7 | | Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with 1st Oak | 8 | | Leaf Cluster, and the Legion of Merit; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam's pastimes included golfing, | 10 | | reading, visiting museums, and fussing at the news; he also | 11 | | mastered the art of masonry; upon retirement, he and his wife | 12 | | became the custodians of three of their grandchildren; he will | 13 | | be most remembered for his courage, his integrity, and his love | 14 | | of country; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam was preceded in death by his wife of | 16 | | 58 years, Pixie; his parents; and his siblings, Willy Gilliam, | 17 | | Lucy Wells, Frances Procise, Barbara Tucker, Daniel Gilliam, | 18 | | and Abraham Gilliam; and
| 19 | | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam is survived by his children, Michael | 20 | | "MBG" Gilliam, Sean "Flipper" (Michelle) Gilliam, and | 21 | | Christianne "Christi Maria-a-a" Gilliam; his siblings, Helen | 22 | | Dabney, Andrew (Sherry) Gilliam, Haywood (Audrey) Gilliam, | 23 | | Gloria (Herbert) Crossland, and Barry (Shirley) Gilliam; his |
| | | SR1557 | - 3 - | LRB101 23194 MST 74335 r |
|
| 1 | | sisters-in-law, Dr. Averill Maxine Pritchett and Myrtle | 2 | | Bastien; his grandchildren, Isis Randall, Isaiah Randall, | 3 | | Isadora Randall, Mikayla Gilliam, Aiden Gilliam, and Isabella | 4 | | Lee; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; | 5 | | therefore, be it
| 6 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | 7 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 8 | | Taft Rosco Gilliam and extend our sincere condolences to his | 9 | | family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | 10 | | further
| 11 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 12 | | presented to the family of Taft Gilliam as an expression of our | 13 | | deepest sympathy.
|
|