Bill Text: IL SR0350 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourns the passing of Janet Denise Kelly.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-06-15 - Resolution Adopted [SR0350 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2021-SR0350-Introduced.html
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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | ||||||
3 | to learn of the death of Janet Denise Kelly, who passed away on | ||||||
4 | April 11, 2021; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly was born in Chicago to Rev. Robert | ||||||
6 | and Marie Kelly on October 3, 1955; she committed to her faith | ||||||
7 | at an early age and later joined Cathedral Missionary Baptist | ||||||
8 | Church; she grew up singing the gospel in the church choir and | ||||||
9 | alongside her gifted sisters, known as The Kelly Sisters; she | ||||||
10 | attended John Farren Elementary School and Jean Baptiste | ||||||
11 | Pointe DuSable Upper Grade Center; in 1973, she graduated from | ||||||
12 | Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable High School, where she was active | ||||||
13 | in numerous clubs and especially enjoyed playing the clarinet | ||||||
14 | in the band and being a member of the cheerleading and pom-pom | ||||||
15 | squads; and
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16 | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly received her Bachelor of Science in | ||||||
17 | Child and Family Services in 1979 from Southern Illinois | ||||||
18 | University-Carbondale, where she became a member of Sigma | ||||||
19 | Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in 1974; she received her Master of | ||||||
20 | Social Work from Chicago State University in 2006; and
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21 | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly was instrumental in choreographing | ||||||
22 | some of Sigma's most memorable on-campus performances at SIU |
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1 | from 1975 to 1978; she and four college friends entered Kappa | ||||||
2 | Karnival's annual talent show and called themselves Sax Fifth | ||||||
3 | Avenue; upon returning home to Chicago, she continued singing | ||||||
4 | and established a group known as The Goddesses, which | ||||||
5 | performed at local venues across the city; and
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6 | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly loved working with children, | ||||||
7 | especially as the morning and after-school coordinator; her | ||||||
8 | positions included ABJ Community Services (Licensing and | ||||||
9 | Permanency Specialist, Case Manager), Metropolitan Family | ||||||
10 | Services (Resource/Program Coordinator, Practitioner), and | ||||||
11 | Catholic Charities & Heartland Human Services (Case Manager); | ||||||
12 | she mentored, produced, and directed many musicals and plays | ||||||
13 | to raise funds for several agencies over the years; she | ||||||
14 | especially enjoyed producing the adaptation of The Wiz; she | ||||||
15 | retired from the social services field in 2019; and
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16 | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly spread the gospel across the airwaves | ||||||
17 | on WVON radio station every Sunday at 7 p.m. for 25 years with | ||||||
18 | the Mother Meatchem Radio Choir; she sang background vocals | ||||||
19 | for recording artists and was a trained pianist and played the | ||||||
20 | clarinet; and
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21 | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly's hobbies included playing tennis, | ||||||
22 | interior decorating, and making jewelry; she worked part time | ||||||
23 | for Park Lane Jewelry and was an avid collector of art; for |
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1 | several years she was an art consultant for Artistic | ||||||
2 | Impressions; her ultimate hobby was shopping, and QVC and HSN | ||||||
3 | were two of her favorite channels; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly thoughtfulness held no bounds when it | ||||||
5 | came to family; if a family member was in need, she would | ||||||
6 | forsake her wants to make sure that their needs were met; and
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7 | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly was preceded in death by her parents | ||||||
8 | and her sister, Renee Kelly; and
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9 | WHEREAS, Janet Kelly is survived by her daughter, Janea | ||||||
10 | Smith; her grandson, Jamari White; her sisters, Diane | ||||||
11 | (Lawrence) Kent and Rev. Debra Kelly; her brother, Bernard | ||||||
12 | Kelly; her half-brother, Ricky (Barbara) Kelly; her | ||||||
13 | half-sister, Linda Kelly; her cousin, Bill (Dee Dee) Driver; | ||||||
14 | her nephews, Juan Gordon, Corey Criss Sr. (Tammy), Doniel | ||||||
15 | Kelly (godson), and Darren Kelly; her nieces, Keena (Norris) | ||||||
16 | Robinson and Robin Thacker; her great-nieces and nephews; her | ||||||
17 | best friend, Sandra R. Kelly; her special friend, Arnold | ||||||
18 | "Ernie" McBlackwell; her close friend, Gloria Styles; and | ||||||
19 | numerous friends that she loved dearly; therefore, be it
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20 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL | ||||||
21 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
22 | Janet Denise Kelly and extend our sincere condolences to her |
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1 | family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it | ||||||
2 | further
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3 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
4 | presented to the family of Janet Kelly as an expression of our | ||||||
5 | deepest sympathy.
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