Bill Text: IL SR0398 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Willie Thomas Summerville of Champaign.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2017-04-06 - Resolution Adopted [SR0398 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-SR0398-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
learn of the death of Willie Thomas Summerville of Champaign,
who passed away on March 7, 2017; and
WHEREAS, Willie Summerville was born in Sunshine Arkansas
to Moses and Lenora on August 7, 1944; he started taking music
lessons when he was 12 to 13 years of age; he was a drum major
at T.W. Daniels High School and played the tuba in the band; he
was on the student council and sang in the school choir; and
WHEREAS, Willie Summerville graduated from the University
of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science in
Music Education; he earned his Masters of Science in Music
Education from the University of Illinois in 1967; he furthered
his studies at the University of Utah, the Ohio State
University, Youngstown State University, East Stroudburg State
University, Westminster Choir College, the University of
Michigan, Michigan State University, and Jackson State
University; and
WHEREAS, Willie Summerville worked at the Champaign Public
Schools until 1970, when he became the Choral Music Director of
the Middle School and the Eighth Grade Chorus in the Urbana
Unified Schools; he was the Director of the High School Concert

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Choir and took the choir to Rome to sing at St. Peter's
Basilica at the Vatican in 1999; he took the Urbana High School
choir to New York City where they sang at the Riverside Church
and at Carnegie Hall; he also worked in the African American
Studies Department at the University of Illinois, where he was
the Campus and Community Affairs Specialist; and
WHEREAS, Willie Summerville belonged to many professional
associations and service organizations, including the National
Education Association, the Illinois Education Association, the
Urbana Education Association, the Urbana Rotary, the
University of Illinois Alumni Band, the Phi Beta Sigma
Fraternity, the Phi Delta Kappa, the Alpha Kappa Mu National
Honor Society, the University of Illinois Alumni Association
(Life Member), the American Choral Directors Association, the
Illinois Music Educators Association, the Music Educators
National Conference, and the Illinois Music Adjudicators
Association; and
WHEREAS, Willie Summerville was a founding member of Canaan
Missionary Baptist Church; he was a charter member of the
Deacon Board and Treasurer of the Canaan Development Foundation
that supports the Canaan Academy; he faithfully served with the
Soul Winning Action Team (SWAT Team) where he was a charter
member; he was the director of the St. Luke's choir for over 50
years; he also conducted music workshops and clinics all over

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the world which were attended by thousands of people; he won
numerous awards for his music and for his teaching; and
WHEREAS, Willie Summerville had many personal editorial
and musical publications such as, "Choral Clarification,"
"Jesus, How I love You," "Keeping the Dream Alive," "Dear Old
Urbana," and "The Chocolate Flavored Birthday Song"; and
WHEREAS, Willie Summerville was married to the former
Valerian Alexander for 47 years; and
WHEREAS, Willie Summerville was preceded in death by his
sisters Ruby Lee Summerville Dixon, Sarah Jean Patton Brown,
and Annie Pearl Summerville; and
WHEREAS, Willie Summerville is survived by his sister,
Bertha Sue Summerville; his children, Derrick, Shandra, and
William (Danielle Moses); his grandchildren, Darius (Jazmine),
Adrian, Makeda, Jaxon, and Ezekiel; his great-granddaughter,
Amiyah; his unborn great-grandson, Sebastian; and many nieces,
nephews, and godchildren; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
Willie Thomas Summerville, and extend our sincere condolences
to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be

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it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Willie Summerville as an expression
of our deepest sympathy.