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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION



2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Thelma 
4Yolonde Byassee Peterson, who passed away on December 28, 
52021; and


6 WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson was born to Sarah 
7Elizabeth Vaughn Byassee and James Henry Byassee of Creal 
8Spring on July 28, 1928; she attended school through 8th grade 
9in Creal Springs before transferring to Marion Township High 
10School, which offered a music curriculum; she married Guy H. 
11"Pete" Peterson on August 8, 1951, and he preceded her in death 
12in October 2021; she attended Southern Illinois University 
13Carbondale, where she earned her Bachelor of Music Education 
14in 1957 and her Master of Science in Education in June 1970; 
15and


16 WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson began her career in 
17education early in life, teaching piano lessons at age 12; she 
18taught at Marion Community Unit School District 2 for nearly 
1940 years; she produced classic Broadway musicals at Marion 
20High School from 1964 until she retired in 1989; and


21 WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson belonged to a number of 
22civic groups and charitable causes; she was the musical 
 
 
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1director of First United Methodist Church in Marion for over 
250 years; she served as chair of the Marion Cultural and Civic 
3Center Board for 48 years, shaping the cultural landscape of 
4Marion and Southern Illinois; she was a longtime member of 
5Marion First Baptist Church; and


6 WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson received a number of 
7accolades for her dedication to the community and the arts, 
8including the Woman of Achievement Award in 1979, the Mayor's 
9Service Award in 2002, and the Award of Excellence for Service 
10to the Performing Arts in 2004 by the Greater Marion Area 
11Chamber of Commerce; she was honored by the Marion Cultural 
12and Civic Center Auditorium with the naming of The Yolonde B. 
13Peterson Performance Hall in 2018; and


14 WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson was a Southern Illinois 
15cultural, musical, and artistic icon; she will be fondly 
16remembered as Marion's "Matriarch of the Arts", whose 
17unflappable presence in the community was a force that moved 
18the arts forward; her legacy lives on through her many former 
19students becoming music educators and performers around the 
20globe; and


21 WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson was preceded in death by 
22her husband of 70 years, Guy H. "Pete" Peterson; her parents; 
23her two siblings, Rosella Byassee (Taylor) and James Howard 
 
 
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1Byassee; and her niece, Barbara Jane Taylor Cox; and


2 WHEREAS, Yolonde Byassee Peterson is survived by her 
3nephews, James (Linda Pinson Byassee) Byassee and Don Byassee; 
4her great-nieces and nephews, Elizabeth (Jeff) Byassee Shore, 
5Amanda Yolonde (Ashley) Byassee Gott, Margaret (Shawn) Byassee 
6Edmondson, Evan James (Amanda) Byassee, and Kevin (Mary) Cox; 
7her nieces, Kara Cox Santi and Cammy (Mark) Cox Duggins; her 
8great-great-nieces and nephews, Benjamin Shore, Victoria 
9Shore, Jamie Gott, Alex Gott, Jeremy Gott, Henry Edmondson, 
10Evangeline Edmondson, Rylee Byassee, Jason Ross, Max (Natacha) 
11Duggins, Samuel Duggins, and Nico Santi; her great-great-great 
12nephew, Silas Duggins; and her many friends; therefore, be it


13 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
14HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
15we mourn the passing of Thelma Yolonde Byassee Peterson and 
16extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all 
17who knew and loved her; and be it further


18 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
19presented to the family of Yolonde Byassee Peterson as an 
20expression of our deepest sympathy.