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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Reverend Tom C. "TC" Sturdivant, who
4passed away on November 25, 2012; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Rev. Tom Sturdivant was born on March 25, 1936, in
6York, Alabama; his parents were Roy and Jessie B. (Nixon)
7Sturdivant; he married Callie Mae Sturdivant, who preceded him
8in death; he later married Katie Lee Elston on March 27, 2004;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, Before he became a minister, Rev. Tom Sturdivant
11was a civil rights freedom fighter in Alabama who walked
12hand-in-hand with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and other
13freedom fighters in Selma, Alabama; he personally knew James
14Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, who were among
15those who died in the movement; he also was known to house
16civil rights activists at his home or other real estate he
17owned; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Rev. Tom Sturdivant retired from the railroad
19industry in 1993 after many years of service; he served as
20pastor of the Mount Zion Baptist Church in Galesburg, commuting
21from Peoria to Galesburg for more than 21 years; after the
22death of the Rev. John L. Gordon and when the Rev. Sturdivant's

 

 

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1work was done in Galesburg, the Lord led him back to Peoria to
2pastor St. Luke M.B. Church; in the meantime, he graduated from
3the Illinois Baptist College in Galesburg; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Rev. Tom Sturdivant was a member of Grace Baptist
5Church, under the leadership of the Rev. Jeffery Ivory Sr.; he
6became a senior pastor of St. Luke M.B. Church and faithfully
7served there for more than 19 years until his passing; over the
8years, he also served with the Baptist General State of
9Churches as the unit district moderator and as president of the
10Baptist Minister Alliance and the Praise Team at the State
11Baptist General Conventions; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Rev. Tom Sturdivant is survived by his loving and
13devoted wife of 8 years, Katie Sturdivant; his sons, Willie J.
14McCallum, Thomas R. (Sheila) Sturdivant, Charles (Vera) McVay,
15and Chad Dunlop; his daughters, Jeannette (Quintin)
16Sturdivant-Marshall, Francis D. Sturdivant, Robin Otterstrom,
17Yvette Sturdivant, Latisha Sturdivant, and Joyce McVay; his
18brothers, Danny B. (Penny) Sturdivant, Floyd (Gladys)
19Sturdivant, and William O. (Deborah) Sturdivant; his sisters,
20Rosie Ruffin and Melvie Thomas; his 35 grandchildren; his many
21great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; his many
22other relatives; and the members of the Baptist General State
23Churches and the Peoria community; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
2ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
3his family and friends, the passing of Reverend Tom C. "TC"
4Sturdivant; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6presented to the family of Rev. Tom Sturdivant as an expression
7of our sympathy.