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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Mary Lee Stackhouse Gardner of Waukegan,
4who passed away on October 2, 2018; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Mary Gardner was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi
6to Bessie and Andrew Stackhouse on January 6, 1937; the eighth
7of 14 children, she spent her early years in Clarksdale; she
8committed to her faith at an early age and was baptized at
9Palestine Baptist Church in Clarksdale; she moved with her
10family to Waukegan in 1951 and, shortly after her arrival,
11joined the Shiloh Baptist Church; as a teenager, she loved
12fashion and worked at Hein's in downtown Waukegan; she married
13John Gardner on August 27, 1955; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Mary Gardner's desire to assist others led her to
15the health care field; she was a career employee at the Downy
16V.A. Hospital and during this time also attended the College of
17Lake County; before she retired, she became a Registered Nurse;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, Having discovered her calling, Mary Gardner
20brought her healthcare experience to her church and was
21President of the Shiloh Baptist Church Health Unit for more
22than ten years; under her leadership, the Health Unit held a

 

 

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1variety of events, including health fairs and CPR training; in
2addition to her health care services at Shiloh, she was also
3the North Shore District Director of Nurse's Unit, Vice
4President of the Illinois Baptist General State Nurses' Health
5United, and worked in the Health Ministries of the Illinois
6State Congress and the National Baptist Convention; she was
7instrumental in developing Youth Health ministries at state and
8local levels; she used her nursing skills to improve the
9community and, in conjunction with the American Heart
10Association, the American Cancer Society, and the American
11Diabetes Association, she led the Shiloh Health Unit
12development of programs to increase awareness of the risk,
13causes, symptoms, and preventative measures for diseases
14plaguing African Americans; the American Heart Association
15honored her for her role in educating others on heart disease
16and strokes; and
 
17    WHEREAS, At Shiloh Baptist Church, Mary Gardner also
18participated in Sunday school and the jail ministry; she was
19active as a counselor, a member of the church choir, and a
20ten-year member of the Wisconsin Dell's Fellowship; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Mary Gardner was preceded in death by her parents;
22her brothers, Andrew and Paul Stackhouse; and two infant
23siblings; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Mary Gardner is survived by her husband, John; her
2children, Johnny (Jackie), Patricia (Remmele), Sharon, and
3Dana; her special niece, Paulette Freeman; her stepdaughter,
4Mary Francis Peebles; her granddaughter, Courtney Gardner; her
5sisters, Doris Mckinley, Catherine Copeland, Lula Baldwin
6Merrill, Dasie Wilson, and Susie Visor; her brothers, John
7Stackhouse, Ben Stackhouse, Herbert (Margaret) Stackhouse, and
8Harry (Deborah) Stackhouse; her many nieces, nephews, and
9cousins; her many godchildren, including Craig Wilson, Alysha
10Grace, and Arius Smith; and her many friends; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
13Mary Lee Stackhouse Gardner and extend our sincere condolences
14to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be
15it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to the family of Mary Gardner as an expression of our
18deepest sympathy.