Full Text of SR0327 96th General Assembly
SR0327 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 |
| learn of the death of Willie J. Welch, who passed away on May | 4 |
| 31, 2009; and
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| WHEREAS, Willie Welch was born on September 1, 1918 in | 6 |
| Portland, Arkansas; his parents were James and Lula Welch; he | 7 |
| married Minnie Gardner on August 13, 1968; and
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| WHEREAS, Willie Welch was an accomplished jazz musician who | 9 |
| attended the Chicago Conservatory of Music; he formed his first | 10 |
| band while serving as a soldier in the United States Army; | 11 |
| after his honorable discharge in 1944 and a few stints in other | 12 |
| groups, he formed the very popular Willie Welch Band, which had | 13 |
| scheduled performances up until his passing; and
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| WHEREAS, Willie Welch confessed his hope in Christ at an | 15 |
| early age and was an active member of the Merrill Avenue | 16 |
| Baptist Church; he loved his church community and attended | 17 |
| Sunday school and Bible classes faithfully; and
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| WHEREAS, Willie Welch was employed at Cook County Hospital | 19 |
| for 17 years as a supervisor and union steward, serving until | 20 |
| his retirement in 1983; and |
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| WHEREAS, Willie Welch was preceded in death by his parents; | 2 |
| his siblings, Mamie Mathis, John Holmes, Elizabeth Richardson, | 3 |
| Eldora Dotson, O.C. Perkins, Thelma Bennett, and Ora Evans; and | 4 |
| his step-son, Robert Gardner; and
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| WHEREAS, Willie Welch is survived by his loving wife, | 6 |
| Minnie; his children, Debra, Henrietta, Ruth, Ervin, and | 7 |
| Barbara; his grandchildren, Raymond, Sharon, Shamari, Edward, | 8 |
| Donald, Twanna, Tanya, Tasha, Robert, Tieria, Ervin Jr., | 9 |
| Jabari, Dejon, Lashay, Fred, and Kaylynn; his nieces and | 10 |
| nephews, Eugene, Lula, Estella, Elizabeth, Joan, Charles, | 11 |
| Herman, Patricia, Jeanette, Joyce, Anita, Vera, Larry, Gail, | 12 |
| Stephanie, Dominick, Wendy, and Michael; his 53 great-nieces | 13 |
| and great-nephews; and his many other relatives and friends; | 14 |
| and
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| WHEREAS, Willie Welch will be remembered by all who knew | 16 |
| and loved him as a colorful character that adored his family | 17 |
| and was always ready with a joke; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL | 19 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with | 20 |
| his family and friends, the passing of Willie J. Welch; and be | 21 |
| it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
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| presented to the family of Willie Welch as an expression of our | 2 |
| sympathy.
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