SR0481 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0481 LRB093 21613 HSS 49077 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Godwin Sunday Daniel Okorafor, M.D., F.A.C.S., on Sunday, March 14, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Okorafor was born on December 8, 1940; he married Dr. Helen I. Okorafor, H.S.D.; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Okorafor attended Christ the King College in Onitsha, Nigeria for his premedical education; he received his medical doctorate in 1968 from the University of Ibadan in Ibadan, Nigeria; he served his rotating internship at University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria and at St. Joseph Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland; his general surgery residency was conducted at Springfield Hospital Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts and at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he served as chief resident of general surgery; his thoracic-cardiovascular surgery residency was completed at The Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he served as thoracic-cardiovascular chief resident; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Okorafor was a highly respected and accomplished thoracic-cardiovascular surgeon and had dedicated 25 years of his life to serving the south side communities of Chicago; he was the Chief of Surgery for several years at St. Bernard Hospital and was very active at Trinity, Mount Sinai, South Shore, Provident, Inglewood, Doctors Hospital of Hyde Park, and Jackson Park Hospitals; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Okorafor was a member of several professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the Illinois State Medical Society, and the Chicago Medical Society, and he was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Okorafor was a devoted family man; he enjoyed tennis, table tennis, soccer, swimming, and boating; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Godwin Sunday Daniel Okorafor, M.D., F.A.C.S. has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Dr. Helen I. Okorafor, H.S.D.; his children, Dr. Ifeoma Chinyere Okorafor-Chidume, D.C. Ngozi Chigioke Okorafor-Johns, M.A., J.D., Esq., Nnedi Nkemdili Okorafor-Mbachu, writer and Ph.D. candidate, and Emezie Ijoma Okorafor, B.Sc., Eng. MIT; and his grandchildren, Anyaugo Obioma Mbachu and Onyuedika Chukwudi Sunday Chidume; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Godwin Sunday Daniel Okorafor, M.D., F.A.C.S., and we extend our deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Okorafor as an expression of our sincere condolences.