Bill Text: IL SR1004 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourns the passing of Karen Antoinette Pepper of Chicago.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-05-26 - Resolution Adopted [SR1004 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-SR1004-Introduced.html
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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | ||||||
3 | to learn of the death of Karen Antoinette Pepper of Chicago, | ||||||
4 | who passed away on August 15, 2023 at the age of 74; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper was born to Doris Marie (Dixon) | ||||||
6 | Austin and Theodore Roosevelt Austin in Chicago on March 11, | ||||||
7 | 1949; she was raised by her paternal grandmother, Luellen "Big | ||||||
8 | Mama" Dorch Adams, and her step-grandfather, James "Pa-Pa" | ||||||
9 | Adams; she graduated from Farragut High School in 1966, and | ||||||
10 | she spoke highly of her classmates and participated in reunion | ||||||
11 | events for many years thereafter; and
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12 | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper married William R. Pepper in 1969; | ||||||
13 | once the union ended, they successfully co-parented four | ||||||
14 | children who all built successful professional and personal | ||||||
15 | lives for themselves; and
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16 | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper completed her postsecondary | ||||||
17 | schooling at Rosary College and the University of Illinois | ||||||
18 | Chicago School of Nursing; after developing a passion for | ||||||
19 | interior design, she earned a certificate in interior design | ||||||
20 | from Malcolm X College; and
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21 | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper's creative genius was on display |
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1 | throughout Chicagoland; she held interior decorating roles at | ||||||
2 | Montgomery Wards and Sears before ultimately retiring from | ||||||
3 | Plunkett Furniture; she was also a talented seamstress, and | ||||||
4 | her portfolio included prom dresses, wedding gowns, and choir | ||||||
5 | robes; and
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6 | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper adored her family and friends, | ||||||
7 | sending them birthday group texts filled with pictures and | ||||||
8 | emojis; she was also available and willing to provide advice | ||||||
9 | and prayer for anyone in need, and this goodwill resulted in | ||||||
10 | multiple nicknames, including "Aunt Karen", "Mina", and | ||||||
11 | "Special K"; and
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12 | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper was a member of multiple faith | ||||||
13 | communities throughout her lifetime; she raised her four | ||||||
14 | children in the Holy Family Catholic Church on Chicago's near | ||||||
15 | West Side, where she was a member of the choir and served as | ||||||
16 | president of the Holy Family Parish Council; she found a | ||||||
17 | second spiritual home at the Apostolic Church of God on | ||||||
18 | Chicago's South Side, where she continued singing as a choir | ||||||
19 | member and taught Sunday school; and
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20 | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper was known to prefer her food served | ||||||
21 | "piping hot"; she also enjoyed gardening and games, pursuing | ||||||
22 | the latter to keep her mind sharp; and
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1 | WHEREAS, Karen Pepper was preceded in death by her | ||||||
2 | parents; her siblings, Theodore "Butch" Austin and Diana | ||||||
3 | Schmakel; and her godmother, Maryann Jones; and
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4 | WHEREAS, At the time of her passing, Karen Pepper was | ||||||
5 | survived by her children, Desiree (Kenneth) Pepper-Venzant, | ||||||
6 | DeShona (Alexander) Robertson, Donovan (Heidi) Pepper, and | ||||||
7 | Devin (Alicia) Pepper; her grandchildren, Maimuna, Tacuma, | ||||||
8 | Dakota, Dillon, William, Madilyn (Madi), and Lukas (Luke); her | ||||||
9 | stepsister, Dr. Loretta Brunious; her uncle, William "Bill" | ||||||
10 | (Florence) Dixon; her cousin, Deborah L. Dixon; her | ||||||
11 | sister-in-law, Dr. Judith Austin; and countless nieces, | ||||||
12 | nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; therefore, be it
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13 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | ||||||
14 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
15 | Karen Antoinette Pepper and extend our sincere condolences to | ||||||
16 | her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it | ||||||
17 | further
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