Bill Text: IL SR0209 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourns the death of Erma Bridgewater of Champaign.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-04-12 - Resolution Adopted [SR0209 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2013-SR0209-Introduced.html
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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | ||||||
3 | learn of the death of Erma Bridgewater of Champaign; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Erma Bridgewater (nee Scott) was born to Ray and | ||||||
5 | Sarah Scott; she graduated from Champaign High School in 1931 | ||||||
6 | and studied sociology at the University of Illinois, graduating | ||||||
7 | in 1937; she married Cecil Bridgewater in 1941; and
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8 | WHEREAS, After graduating college, Erma Bridgewater was | ||||||
9 | hired as the first co-director of the Douglass Community Center | ||||||
10 | on the University of Illinois campus; she left to raise her | ||||||
11 | children and returned to the position of director from 1955 to | ||||||
12 | 1962; she worked for a time at the Urbana Courier as a | ||||||
13 | proofreader and for the City of Champaign, first in urban | ||||||
14 | renewal and later community development; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Erma Bridgewater received many honors through the | ||||||
16 | years; she was named a "living legend" by Project 500, a group | ||||||
17 | of 500 African Americans who were recruited to attend the | ||||||
18 | University of Illinois 3 decades after she did; Bethel AME | ||||||
19 | Church proclaimed one Sunday as "Mrs. B. Day" and former | ||||||
20 | Champaign Mayor Jerry Schweighart gave her the key to the city; | ||||||
21 | and
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1 | WHEREAS, Erma Bridgewater enjoyed jazz and was a member and | ||||||
2 | piano player for Bethel AME Church; as a teenager, she played | ||||||
3 | piano in a teen jazz combo her father had founded; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Erma Bridgewater was preceded in death by her | ||||||
5 | parents and her husband of 58 years, Cecil; and
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6 | WHEREAS, Erma Bridgewater is survived by her children, Ron, | ||||||
7 | Cecil, and Cassandra "Cassie"; therefore, be it
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8 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL | ||||||
9 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
10 | Erma Bridgewater, and we extend our sincere condolences to her | ||||||
11 | family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it | ||||||
12 | further
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13 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
14 | presented to the family of Erma Bridgewater as an expression of | ||||||
15 | our deepest sympathy.
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