SR0861 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0861 LRB094 21897 KXB 60336 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, On Sunday, November 5, 2006, Isabel Graham Henderson Pedro joined her parents, sister, grandson, and stepsons in Paradise; and

WHEREAS, Isabel Lula Graham was born in Chicago, Illinois, on June 3, 1929, the eldest daughter of Frances Porter Graham and Charles Alexander Graham; and

WHEREAS, She graduated from Avondale Grammar School in 1943, Carl Schurz High School in 1947, and attended Wilson Jr. College in the late 1940's; In 1952, she married Herbert H. Henderson; into that marriage was born Natalie, Victoria, and Michelle; and

WHEREAS, In 1966, she graduated from Roosevelt University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and she earned a Master of Science in Education from Chicago State University in 1977; and

WHEREAS, After an early childhood membership in Quinn Chapel AME, the family joined St. Edmunds Church; she maintained memberships at Church of the Holy Cross, Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, was a founding member of Salem Baptist Church, and Beth Eden Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, In the 1950's she worked at University of Illinois at Navy Pier as a library clerk; while attending Roosevelt University in the early 1960's, she worked at the Fourth Estate Restaurant; after graduating from Roosevelt, she completed her student teaching at Carver Elementary School; for almost 30 years she served as a primary classroom teacher, then as a special education teacher at Beethoven Elementary; she retired from Beethoven in the early 1990's; and

WHEREAS, Isabel had a lifetime love of music; she was a talented piano player and vocalist; she was a member of various community and school choirs, including the Bel-Tones and The Wooten Ensemble; and

WHEREAS, On April 19, 1995, she married her long-time love and bridge partner, Donald M. Pedro, M.D.; and

WHEREAS, Isabel loved to play bridge, and was a member of many clubs, including the Paragons Duplicate Bridge Club, The LaBelles Femme Bridge Club, Maple Park Bridge Club, Ada Park Bridge Club, La Dimanche Point Trieze Bridge Club, The Third Saturday Bridge Club, and was the beloved First Lady of the Midwest Bridge Unit of the American Bridge Association; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Isabel Graham Henderson Pedro has been deeply felt by all who knew and loved her; her family includes her daughters, Natalie Frances Henderson Ray, Victoria Dallas Henderson Peters, Michelle Louise Henderson Allison (Charles Henry Allison); her grandchildren, Claudia Jeanette Ray (Kevin D. Walker, Sr.), Kenneth Ernest Henderson (Tawanna Kyle), Charles Antuan Peters (deceased), David Jerome Bryant, and Steven Marcus Johnson; her great-grandsons, Keyon Kyle, Charles Kenneth Harris, De'Angelo Venson, Ta'Joun Kyle, Kevin D. Walker, Jr., Vincent Carter, and David Carter; her honorary children, Anthony Pedro, Donald M. Pedro, Jr., Sharon A. Pedro-Dudley, Bruce M. Pedro, Ishida M. Pedro-Robinson (Jim), James H. Brooks (deceased), Patrice A. Pedro, Riccardo Christopher Pedro (deceased), Garnett D. Pedro, Valerie L. Pedro, Laura J. Pedro, and Donna M. Pedro; and her nephew, Ivan Charles Collins; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Isabel Graham Henderson Pedro; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Isabel Graham Henderson Pedro.