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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Bonnie
4Jean Hester of Peoria, who passed away on November 10, 2020;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, Hester was born in Truman, Arkansas to Vastula and
7Henry T. Slaughter on June 7, 1944; she married Jerry Hester on
8July 27, 1968, and he preceded her in death in 2012; she earned
9a Certificate in Labor History from the University of Illinois
10and a Clerical Certificate from the Vocational School of
11Southern Illinois; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Bonnie Hester worked in the public sector for 35
13years; she worked for the Peoria City and County Health
14Department for 25 years; most recently, she served as the
15program assistant for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
16program; during her career, she served on the Health Care
17Committee for Peoria County Employees and as president of
18AFSCME local #3665 for 14 years; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Bonnie Hester was committed to her faith and
20showed her passion through service; she was a longtime member
21of Christ Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday school for
22nearly 30 years; she served on the school board of Peoria

 

 

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1Christ Lutheran School, where she also assisted in the
2lunchroom during the school day and was a constant presence
3when her children and grandchildren attended the school; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Bonnie Hester was passionate about standing up for
5her beliefs and for those without a voice; her activism began
6when she was a young woman in Carbondale, where she was a
7member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during
8the Civil Rights Movement; she continued her activism in
9Peoria; upon her retirement, she was elected to represent
10District 1 on the Peoria County Board from December 2006 to
11November 2011; she volunteered for the American Red Cross
12Disaster Services, the Heart of Illinois United Way, and the
13Make-A-Wish Foundation; she was a past board member and active
14member of the Southside Community United for Change; she also
15served as a member of the executive board for the West Central
16Illinois Labor Council and the NAACP; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Bonnie Hester was known for her smile, her
18encouraging words, her friendliness, and her infectious
19personality; she will be remembered for being the embodiment of
20maternal pride; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Bonnie Hester was preceded in death by her
22parents, three brothers, and her grandparents; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Bonnie Hester is survived by her son, Jerry
2(Simone) Hester II; her daughters, Lorry Saunders and Amie
3Hester; her grandchildren, Jervon, Ashton, Breonna, Jordyn,
4Imani, and Jerry III; her brothers, Wardell Slaughter, James
5Slaughter, and Charles Slaughter; her sisters, Jewel Thompson,
6Jeraldine Brown, Lauretha Slaughter, and Barbara Ann Tipton;
7and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other family members,
8and friends; therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
10HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11we mourn the passing of Bonnie Jean Hester and extend our
12sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew
13and loved her; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the family of Bonnie Hester as an expression of
16our deepest sympathy.