Bill Text: IL HR1111 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourns the death of former Illinois State Representatives Shirley Marie Jones of Chicago.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5)
Status: (Passed) 2016-04-04 - Resolution Adopted [HR1111 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2015-HR1111-Introduced.html
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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of former | ||||||
| 4 | Illinois State Representative Shirley Marie Jones of Chicago, | ||||||
| 5 | who passed away on March 20, 2016; and
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| 6 | WHEREAS, Rep. Jones was born in Chicago to Elisha and | ||||||
| 7 | Bessie Jones on November 9, 1939; she joined Holy Family and | ||||||
| 8 | St. Sabina parishes; she attended Smyth Elementary School and | ||||||
| 9 | Cregier and Crane high schools on Chicago's West Side; she | ||||||
| 10 | later attended George Williams College; and
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| 11 | WHEREAS, Rep. Jones' athleticism as a young lady molded her | ||||||
| 12 | career; she
was an exceptional volleyball player, avid golfer, | ||||||
| 13 | bowler, and a fan
of all sports; she was a physical education | ||||||
| 14 | instructor at several Chicago park locations; she rose through | ||||||
| 15 | the ranks of the Chicago Park
District for a career that lasted | ||||||
| 16 | nearly 30 years; and
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| 17 | WHEREAS, Rep. Jones' political career grew from her | ||||||
| 18 | precinct work in the
powerful "1st Ward", to seven terms in the | ||||||
| 19 | Illinois General
Assembly; she championed legislation for | ||||||
| 20 | seniors, public
aid, and consumer rights; she served on many | ||||||
| 21 | committees
and chaired the Public Utilities Committee; under
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| 22 | her leadership, the utility deregulation legislation
that | ||||||
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| 1 | revamped Illinois was written; upon retirement, after
several | ||||||
| 2 | unopposed terms as State Representative, she
became a lobbyist | ||||||
| 3 | for Commonwealth Edison until her full
retirement; and
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| 4 | WHEREAS, Rep. Jones was a member of several clubs and | ||||||
| 5 | organizations and
served on several boards, including the | ||||||
| 6 | National Black Caucus
of State Legislators, the National | ||||||
| 7 | Organization of Black Elected
Women, and the Red Hatters; she | ||||||
| 8 | also assisted many not-for-profit
organizations, including the | ||||||
| 9 | Cathedral Shelter, the Duncan YMCA, and the
Campaign for a Drug | ||||||
| 10 | Free Westside; and
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| 11 | WHEREAS, Rep. Jones was affectionately know as "Aunt | ||||||
| 12 | Shirley"; she was a member of Apostolic Church of God; her | ||||||
| 13 | family was the most important thing in her life and she | ||||||
| 14 | coordinated most of the holiday parties, trips, gatherings, and | ||||||
| 15 | Bid Whist nights for her family and friends; she also enjoyed | ||||||
| 16 | trips to Las Vegas; and
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| 17 | WHEREAS, Rep. Jones was preceded in death by her siblings, | ||||||
| 18 | Alberta, Roberta, Earskin, and Allen, and her son, Darryl; and
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| 19 | WHEREAS, Rep. Jones is survived by her beloved husband, | ||||||
| 20 | Harold Neal; her daughter, La Keisha Jones; her three sisters, | ||||||
| 21 | Gladys (Willie), Irene,
and Betty (Leonard); her brother, | ||||||
| 22 | Phillip; her 7 grandchildren, Darryl,
Nick, Nakia, Jarrett, | ||||||
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| 1 | Brittany, Darnesha, and Aiyanna; her two great-grandchildren; | ||||||
| 2 | her goddaughter, Shonnie; her stepdaughter,
Telecia; her | ||||||
| 3 | sister-in-law, Peggy; her brother-in-law, Lamont; and a host of | ||||||
| 4 | nieces, nephews, and other relatives; therefore, be it
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| 5 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
| 6 | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | ||||||
| 7 | mourn the passing of former Illinois State Representative | ||||||
| 8 | Shirley Marie Jones, and extend our sincere condolences to her | ||||||
| 9 | family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it | ||||||
| 10 | further
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| 11 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 12 | presented to the family of Rep. Jones as an expression of our | ||||||
| 13 | deepest sympathy.
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