Bill Text: IL HR0980 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the passing of Mary Elizabeth Pierce and remembers her for her many years of dedicated service to her community, family, and friends.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2012-04-25 - Resolution Adopted [HR0980 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-HR0980-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives are pleased to remember Mary Elizabeth Pierce
for her many years of dedicated service to her community,
family, and friends; and
WHEREAS, Mary Elizabeth Pierce was born December 4, 1922,
in Chicago; she was the daughter of Henry Harris and Eva Irene
Hanes Pierce; in 1928, her family relocated to Richton Park,
when the Illinois Central was electrified and her father became
responsible for maintaining the switches; she enjoyed relating
that, when her family moved to town, the town's population sign
read "50"; and
WHEREAS, Mary Elizabeth Pierce's education started in a
one-room schoolhouse on Sauk Trail, just east of the IC tracks;
she attended Matteson High School for 3 years, and graduated
from Thornton High School; she later attended Chicago Teachers
College and, once certified in education, started teaching in
1944 in a one-room schoolhouse in Green Garden Township, west
of Monee; and
WHEREAS, In 1947, Mary Elizabeth Pierce taught in the
Peotone Elementary School; in 1951, she was employed by Steger
Central Junior High, where she taught for 28 years; she retired

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from teaching in 1979 after being diagnosed with cancer; and
WHEREAS, Mary Elizabeth Pierce worked as public relations
coordinator at Steger Central for 26 years; she was an active
member of the Beta Beta chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an
educational service sorority, and a lifelong member of the
Illinois Education Association and the National Educational
Association; and
WHEREAS, In 1991, Mary Elizabeth Pierce was elected village
clerk of Richton Park; she was a founding member of the Friends
of the Library and co-chair of Richton Park's Bicentennial
Committee; she was a co-author of "The History of the Village
of Richton Park, Illinois, 75th Anniversary, 1926-2001" and was
considered the historian for Richton Park who gladly gave
presentations on the development of her community; she served
on the Human Relations Commission, the Senior Citizen
Commission, the Bill Fleming Scholarship Committee, and was an
ardent promoter of her hometown; she was also an avid Chicago
White Sox fan; and
WHEREAS, Mary Elizabeth Pierce was preceded in death by her
parents; her brothers; John, Edward, Henry Jr. (Junie), and
David; her sister, Nancy Graham; and her nephews, James Graham,
Lee Graham, and Robert Pierce, Jr.; and

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WHEREAS, Mary Elizabeth Pierce is survived by her brothers,
Robert (Sherryl) Pierce and Roy Pierce; her sisters-in-law,
Billie Bednarczyk and Kathleen Pierce; her several nieces and
nephews; and her special friends, Jerry and Kathy Corsaro and
Tom and Barb Martin; she donated her body to the Anatomical
Gift Association of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Mary Elizabeth Pierce never married and had no
biological children of her own, but her love of teaching filled
her life with countless hours of joy and happiness; she will be
missed by those who knew and loved her; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we mourn the passing of Mary Elizabeth Pierce and remember her
for her many years of dedicated service to her community,
family, and friends; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Mary Elizabeth Pierce as a symbol of
our esteem and respect.