Bill Text: IL SR1030 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Mrs. Bernice Thompson of Chicago.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2010-11-18 - Resolution Adopted [SR1030 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-SR1030-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
learn of the death of Mrs. Bernice Thompson of Chicago, who
recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, She was born in Belzoni, Mississippi, on March 18,
1923, and live there until 1941; she made a public proclamation
of her love of God at Stranger's Home Missionary Baptist Church
in Isola, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, After moving to Chicago she worked in a government
defense plant; she later worked for the fashion industry until
retiring in 1988; she also opened a shop in her home where she
created designs for weddings, proms, and other occasions; and
WHEREAS, She was a member of Landmark Missionary Baptist
Church in Chicago, where she served on the nurse's board and
the missionary society; she was also a member of the Board of
Director of the Melvin Powell Sr. Scholarship Fund; and
WHEREAS, She was especially close to her son and enjoyed
watching him rise through the ranks of the Chicago Police
Department and serve as interim alderman for the 9th Ward at
the request of the Mayor of Chicago, taking a temporary leave
from the Police Department; and when he was called to be a

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Deacon in the church, she was full of pride that he had been
chosen for that task; she was also close to her grandson,
Melvin Powell, Jr., whom she lovingly called "Tiger"; and
WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her husband, Deacon
Otis Thompson; her son, Deacon Melvin Powell, Sr.; her parents;
her 3 brothers and one sister; and
WHEREAS, She is survived by her brothers, Jose McCoy (Alma
Jean) and Earnest James; her sister-in-law, Billie McCoy; her
daughter-in-law, Dian M. Powell; her grandson, Melvin Powell,
Jr.; her great-granddaughters, Ashley Dian Powell and
Gabrielle Dyan Powell; her great-great-granddaughter, Taylor
Diahann Sharon Hunter; her 11 nephews; her 10 nieces, including
Ollie Bell Butler, Bernice Powell, and Deazaeree Guider; her
God-daughter, Aretha Walker Morris; the family of her late
husband; and a host of relatives, friends, and members of her
church family; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
her family and friends, the passing of Bernice Thompson; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Bernice Thompson as a symbol of our

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sincere sympathy.