[ Search ] [ PDF text ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
92_HR0781
LRB9216566BHbh
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the passing of
4 Eunice Kelly Hamner of Chicago, who passed away March 7,
5 2002; and
6 WHEREAS, Mrs. Hamner was born February 27, 1926, in
7 Chicago, the daughter of Eddy Smith and Shannon McMillan; her
8 early years were spent at Hartzell Memorial United Methodist
9 Church in Chicago where she professed a love of Christ as her
10 personal Savior; and
11 WHEREAS, Mrs. Hamner grew up in the Bronzeville area and
12 graduated from Wendell Phillips High School at a time when
13 several prominent Chicagoans attended; and
14 WHEREAS, Eunice Hamner met and fell in love with Theodore
15 Leon Evans, and out of this union was born her son, Theodore;
16 she later married Max Kelly, and from this union was born her
17 daughter, Shirley Fae, who was named in memory of Mrs.
18 Hamner's sister, who preceded her in death; and
19 WHEREAS, Mrs. Hamner developed a passion for business
20 while completing several courses at Roosevelt University; she
21 applied her talent in business administration working for
22 Evans Furrier, Allied Electronics, and Leon L. Motts Company;
23 and
24 WHEREAS, In the early 1960s, Eunice Hamner worked several
25 years for South Central Music Company under Moses Profitt and
26 Marge Robinson; shortly thereafter, she met Lee Hamner, whom
27 she later married; during the fall of 1966, they opened the
28 Shelter Lounge together, and later, during the 1980s, added
29 the Shelter Deli; after many years of hard work, the Shelter
30 Deli and Lounge became widely known as one of the business
31 pioneers in the community with emphasis on cleanliness,
-2- LRB9216566BHbh
1 professionalism, and courtesy; it has become an anchor in
2 Chatham, and throughout the years has entertained many
3 celebrities, politicians, musicians, and business
4 professionals from all over the world; and
5 WHEREAS, Mrs. Hamner had an enthusiastic love for the
6 game of golf and played the links in and around Chicago for
7 fifty years; for many consecutive years, she joined the "Snow
8 Birds" in Miami for a vigorous two weeks of golf on the
9 Chitlin Circuit Golf Tournament; Mrs. Hamner was an avid
10 reader of current events and had an interest in the economic
11 and social progress of African American people; she developed
12 friendships with several celebrities, including Sarah Vaughn,
13 Johnny Hartman, Redd Foxx, Billie Holliday, Count Basie,
14 Dorothy Donagan, and Al Hibler, just to name a few; and
15 WHEREAS, Eunice Kelly Hamner will be deeply missed by her
16 family and friends, especially her son, Theodore Evans; her
17 daughter, Shirley Kelly; her granddaughters, Kyra Evans and
18 Taylor Kelly; her daughter-in-law, Valerie Tyler Evans; and
19 a host of family and friends; therefore, be it
20 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
21 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
22 we mourn, along with all those who knew her and loved her,
23 the death of Eunice Kelly Hamner of Chicago; and be it
24 further
25 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
26 presented to the family of Eunice Kelly Hamner with our most
27 sincere condolences.