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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Elder Earl McClenny Whitehead, who passed
4away on February 11, 2013; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Elder Earl Whitehead was born in Marion, Alabama,
6to Robert and Marilla (Moore) Whitehead; he attended Alabama
7public schools, The Chicago Baptist Seminary, Moody Bible
8Institute, The Charles Harrison Mason Theological Bible
9College, and The Gaston Bible School; he was a member of
10Morning Star Baptist Church in Marion, Alabama; he married
11LaVerne Darlene on September 18, 1955; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Elder Earl Whitehead moved to North Chicago to
13follow in his brother Robert's footsteps and become a barber;
14he attended Illinois Barber College in Chicago and worked in
15his brother's barbershop in North Chicago; he served in the
16U.S. Army as a medic in the Korean War, worked at Johns
17Manville, North Chicago Refiners & Smelters, and as a nurses
18aide in local hospitals, all while continuing to work as a
19barber in Robert's shop; he and his brother, John, eventually
20opened up their own barbershop in Waukegan; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Elder Earl Whitehead served as pastor of Mount
22Olive Church of God in Christ in Chicago; he served as

 

 

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1assistant pastor and Sunday School Superintendent at Rehoboth
2Church of God in Christ in Waukegan; he served the Lake County
3community for over 50 years and received numerous awards and
4commendations for his service; in 2003 the Waukegan City
5Council named a street the Rev. Earl Whitehead Drive; he would
6deliver motivational talks to students at Waukegan high schools
7and provide outreach ministries at the Lake County Correctional
8facility; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Elder Earl Whitehead was preceded in death by his
10parents; his siblings, Walter Mae Harper, Mattie J. Hopkins,
11Robert C. Whitehead, James B. Whitehead, Eunice Hatch, William
12Whitehead, Josephine Tubbs, John W. Whitehead, Elma McKinney,
13and Blanch Curry; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Elder Earl Whitehead is survived by his wife of 57
15years, LaVerne; his children, James (Brenda) Whitehead,
16Jeffrey (Euna) Whitehead, Keith (Jenny) Whitehead, and Renee
17Whitehead; his grandchildren, LaMar, Elexanderia, Jeffery Jr.,
18Jordan, Lauren (Reed Swier, fiance), Tekoa, Jasmine, LaVeedra,
19Eboni, and Briana; his great-grandchildren, Brendan, Darius,
20Izaiah, Lexus, Jae-onna, LaMaiiya, Lela, DaKara, Nyela, and
21Anyah; his sister, Archie Russell; his sister-in-law, Elaine
22Headds; his nieces, nephews, and cousins; four people who were
23like family, Shirley Buchanan, Terry Harris, Joe Pitts, and Jay
24(Jay5) Johnson; his God children, Supt. Mark A. Jones and

 

 

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1Eleanor Lovett; his loving Rehoboth family; his life-long
2friend in Christ, Pastor H. Eugene Jones Sr.; and a host of
3close friends including Pete (The Tramp) Yarbough, Roland
4Harper, and T.R. Sterns; therefore, be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
6ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
7Elder Earl McClenny Whitehead, and we extend our sincere
8condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
9him; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
11presented to the family of Elder Earl Whitehead as an
12expression of our deepest sympathy.