Bill Text: IL HR1417 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Bishop William Haven Bonner.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-11-15 - Resolution Adopted [HR1417 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-HR1417-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Bishop
William Haven Bonner, who passed away on August 29, 2016; and
WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner was born on September 13,
1921 in Blytheville, Arkansas; his parents were Eddie and
Mattie Bonner; he married Dorothy Mae Green on May 2, 1944; and
WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner attended elementary school
in Kentucky and Missouri and later attended DuSable High School
and the Moody Bible Institute; he began preaching at the age of
13 and played his guitar and preached at churches in
Charleston, Caruthersville, and Sikeston, Missouri; at the age
of 16, he moved to Waukegan, where he later became the junior
pastor and Young People Willing Workers president of the Hill
Street Church of God in Christ; and
WHEREAS, In 1944, at the age of 21, Bishop William Bonner
was commissioned to establish a church in Aurora; in 1950, he
and his wife moved to Aurora and he began working at Illinois
Cleaners to support his family; in 1949, he became a full-time
pastor and led his congregation in building a small church; he
later became a member of Central Illinois and was appointed
District Superintendent of the Northwestern District, Chairman

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of the Board of Superintendents, First Administrative
Assistant, and State Expeditor; and
WHEREAS, After working for Bishop L.H. Ford for 19 years,
Bishop William Bonner established a fellowship called "We as
Laborers"; he later began working with Bishop H. W. Goldsberry
of the Sixth Jurisdiction of Illinois, where he became an
Administrative Assistant; in 1982, he was consecrated as bishop
of the Sixth Jurisdiction of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner was involved with the
national Church of God in Christ; he served as Co-Chairman of
the National Finance Committee and as Chairman of the Budgetary
Committee of the Board of Bishops; he also served as senior
bishop of the Midwest Region and expeditor of the Board of
Bishops; and
WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner was given many honors and
awards for his work, including an honorary doctorate from the
Trinity Hall Theological Seminary, a Friends of Marie Wilkinson
Child Development Center Award, and a Distinguished Black
Community Leadership Award, among others; the City of Aurora
renamed the street that his church sits on to "Bonner Avenue"
in honor of his work in the community; and
WHEREAS, Bishop William Bonner will be dearly missed by his

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wife, Dorothy Mae; his children, Enyess, Willie Etta, Charles,
and Dorothy; and the members of his congregation; therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we, along with his family and friends, mourn the passing of
Bishop William Haven Bonner; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Bishop William Bonner as an
expression of our sympathy.