SR0887LRB096 22603 GRL 41955 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Illinois State Senator Iris Y. Martinez and the
3members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the
4death of Sandra Kay Williams-Young of Springfield, who passed
5away on June 12, 2010; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Sandra Williams-Young was born on December 26,
71961, in Springfield; she was the daughter of Robert L. and
8Barbara J. Williams; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Sandra Williams-Young graduated from Southeast
10High School in 1979; she earned her associate's degree at
11Lincoln Land Community College and her bachelor's degree in
12psychology at the University of Illinois-Springfield; she then
13earned her master's degree in public administration from the
14University of Illinois-Springfield, where she was inducted
15into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Sandra Williams-Young accepted the Lord early in
17life and was baptized into the Christian faith; she was a
18member of the Monroe Street Christian Church (MSCC) for most of
19her adult life and she remained an active member until the Lord
20called her home; she also served as a member of the MSCC Adult
21Praise Dancers and a member of the Usher Board at the church;
22every year, she loved to volunteer her time in the summer to

 

 

SR0887- 2 -LRB096 22603 GRL 41955 r

1serve as the senior high teacher at the church's Vacation Bible
2School; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Sandra Williams-Young was formerly employed at
4the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services for over
529 years; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Sandra Williams-Young was very active in the
7performing arts; she performed in several local plays and also
8enjoyed performing dramatic readings at her church; while her
9favorite dramatic reading was "Ain't I a Woman" by Sojourner
10Truth, she also enjoyed and performed the works of Langston
11Hughes; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Sandra Williams-Young was a committed volunteer
13and mentor at George Washington Middle School, where she formed
14lasting friendships with at-risk female students as she
15challenged them to strive for greatness; after being diagnosed
16with breast cancer, she became a self-appointed advocate in the
17African-American community and encouraged women of color to be
18tested for breast cancer; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Sandra Williams-Young was preceded in death by her
20father and her husband, Lloyd "Chris" Young, Sr.; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Sandra Williams-Young is survived by her sons,

 

 

SR0887- 3 -LRB096 22603 GRL 41955 r

1Rickey and Christopher; her grandson, Christian, whom she
2raised as a son; her grandchildren, Natasha Handy, Prince
3Rickey Smith, and Gabriel Smith; her mother; her brothers,
4Aundra (Ann), Steven (Martha), and Robert L. (Sherry); her
5sisters, Debra, Letitia, and Sharon (Justin) Williams; her
6special friend, Delbert Marshall; and her many aunts, uncles,
7nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; she also had an extra
8special relationship with Reknecka Ashcraft McTye and Jason
9Holman, whom she considered her own special children;
10therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
13her family and friends, the passing of Sandra Kay
14Williams-Young; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of Sandra Williams-Young as an
17expression of our sympathy.