HR0631 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0631 LRB102 26001 LAW 35409 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Thelma Yolonde Byassee Peterson, who passed away on December 28, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson was born to Sarah Elizabeth Vaughn Byassee and James Henry Byassee of Creal Spring on July 28, 1928; she attended school through 8th grade in Creal Springs before transferring to Marion Township High School, which offered a music curriculum; she married Guy H. "Pete" Peterson on August 8, 1951, and he preceded her in death in October 2021; she attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she earned her Bachelor of Music Education in 1957 and her Master of Science in Education in June 1970; and

WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson began her career in education early in life, teaching piano lessons at age 12; she taught at Marion Community Unit School District 2 for nearly 40 years; she produced classic Broadway musicals at Marion High School from 1964 until she retired in 1989; and

WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson belonged to a number of civic groups and charitable causes; she was the musical director of First United Methodist Church in Marion for over 50 years; she served as chair of the Marion Cultural and Civic Center Board for 48 years, shaping the cultural landscape of Marion and Southern Illinois; she was a longtime member of Marion First Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson received a number of accolades for her dedication to the community and the arts, including the Woman of Achievement Award in 1979, the Mayor's Service Award in 2002, and the Award of Excellence for Service to the Performing Arts in 2004 by the Greater Marion Area Chamber of Commerce; she was honored by the Marion Cultural and Civic Center Auditorium with the naming of The Yolonde B. Peterson Performance Hall in 2018; and

WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson was a Southern Illinois cultural, musical, and artistic icon; she will be fondly remembered as Marion's "Matriarch of the Arts", whose unflappable presence in the community was a force that moved the arts forward; her legacy lives on through her many former students becoming music educators and performers around the globe; and

WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Guy H. "Pete" Peterson; her parents; her two siblings, Rosella Byassee (Taylor) and James Howard Byassee; and her niece, Barbara Jane Taylor Cox; and

WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson is survived by her nephews, James (Linda Pinson Byassee) Byassee and Don Byassee; her great-nieces and nephews, Elizabeth (Jeff) Byassee Shore, Amanda Yolonde (Ashley) Byassee Gott, Margaret (Shawn) Byassee Edmondson, Evan James (Amanda) Byassee, and Kevin (Mary) Cox; her nieces, Kara Cox Santi and Cammy (Mark) Cox Duggins; her great-great-nieces and nephews, Benjamin Shore, Victoria Shore, Jamie Gott, Alex Gott, Jeremy Gott, Henry Edmondson, Evangeline Edmondson, Rylee Byassee, Jason Ross, Max (Natacha) Duggins, Samuel Duggins, and Nico Santi; her great-great-great nephew, Silas Duggins; and her many friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Thelma Yolonde Byassee Peterson and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Yolonde Byassee Peterson as an expression of our deepest sympathy.