Bill Text: IL HR0108 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourns the death of Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-03-23 - Resolution Adopted by Voice Vote [HR0108 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-HR0108-Introduced.html
| |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
3 | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Mattie | ||||||
4 | Ree Smith-Eiland, who passed away on February 16, 2023; and
| ||||||
5 | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland was born in Gary, Indiana | ||||||
6 | to Cornelius Smith and Rosia Ann Cumberland-Smith on November | ||||||
7 | 11, 1928 and spent her formative years in Jackson, | ||||||
8 | Mississippi; she excelled at both Sally Reynolds Elementary | ||||||
9 | School and Jim Hill High School; she graduated from the | ||||||
10 | Jackson College for Negro Teachers (Jackson State University) | ||||||
11 | with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education; she did | ||||||
12 | advanced degree work at Indiana State University; and
| ||||||
13 | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland began her teaching career | ||||||
14 | in McComb, Mississippi and eventually returned to Jackson to | ||||||
15 | teach at her alma mater, Sally Reynolds Elementary School; and
| ||||||
16 | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland married Bernard H. Eiland | ||||||
17 | in 1953, and they eventually settled in Chicago, where they | ||||||
18 | attended Olivet Baptist Church; she taught in the Ford Heights | ||||||
19 | and East Chicago Heights school districts; in 1970, she joined | ||||||
20 | the Chicago Public School System and began teaching at Myra | ||||||
21 | Bradwell Elementary School; she went above and beyond the | ||||||
22 | requirements of the classroom and would often form personal |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | relationships with many of her students; as a result of her | ||||||
2 | efforts and dedication, she was a multi-year honoree in Who's | ||||||
3 | Who Among American Teachers & Educators; and
| ||||||
4 | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland was passionate about her | ||||||
5 | community; she served as a board member for Grandma's House | ||||||
6 | for Battered Women and the Joint Negro Appeal; she sponsored | ||||||
7 | the Myra Bradwell Chapter of the National Jr. Beta Club and the | ||||||
8 | Red Circle Girls of Olivet Baptist Church; she was also a | ||||||
9 | faithful member of the St. Stephens Lutheran Church for over | ||||||
10 | 20 years; and
| ||||||
11 | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland retired from teaching for | ||||||
12 | the Chicago Public School System after 53 years but continued | ||||||
13 | to stay active; she became a member of the National Coalition | ||||||
14 | of 100 Black Women, while also working with pregnant teenage | ||||||
15 | girls; she enjoyed spending time with her family, babysitting, | ||||||
16 | talking with her friends, traveling, and continuing to educate | ||||||
17 | and encourage all those she encountered; and
| ||||||
18 | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland was preceded in death by | ||||||
19 | her husband, Bernard Eiland; her parents; her brothers, | ||||||
20 | Prentiss Smith, Cornelius Smith II, and Daniel Cumberland; her | ||||||
21 | sisters, Ophia Dee and Mary Rembert; her niece, Sandra D. | ||||||
22 | Smith-Edwards; and her nephew, Fredrick A. Smith; and
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | WHEREAS, Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland is survived by her | ||||||
2 | daughter, Harriet; her sisters-in-law, Sarah Williams and | ||||||
3 | Dorothy Lewis; her family members, Marvin (Anitra), Frederic | ||||||
4 | "Bernie" (Theresa), Chris (Dominique), Marcus, Andres, | ||||||
5 | Abraham, Terrence, Daniel, Darryl, Phillicia "Nikki" (Calvin), | ||||||
6 | Sheryl D. (Earl), Ava (Andrew), Darla, Stephanie, April, and | ||||||
7 | Tiffany; her special sisters, Yvonne Best, Dr. Lois Sherman, | ||||||
8 | Gladys Norwood, and Carmen Clark; her special son, Donald | ||||||
9 | Reese Sr.; her special neighbors, Mario Tillman and Flora | ||||||
10 | Stone; and numerous nieces, nephews, friends, students, and | ||||||
11 | loved ones; therefore, be it
| ||||||
12 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
13 | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
14 | we mourn the passing of Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland and extend our | ||||||
15 | sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew | ||||||
16 | and loved her; and be it further
| ||||||
17 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
18 | presented to the family of Mattie Ree Smith-Eiland as an | ||||||
19 | expression of our deepest sympathy.
|