SR1101 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1101 LRB096 24624 KXB 44480 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Katherine I. Higginbottom, who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, She was born on November 20, 1923, the first child of Ulysses and Pearl Skaggs; she was cared for as a youngster by her paternal grandparents, Ellen and William Tetter, on their farm in Hopkins Park; and

WHEREAS, As she grew she continued to help her grandparents on the farm, developing a love for animals and a serious industriousness; she would help pick blueberries, raise the animals, cut out paper dolls, and play mumbley peg with a pocket knife; and

WHEREAS, She graduated from St. Anne High School in St. Anne, and walked alone down the aisle at graduation because her white classmate would not walk with her; she later went on a double date with her sister and Elzie Higginbottom; she pronounced that she would rather be reading than be on the date but things went smoothly and together Elzie and she shared 60 years of wedded bliss; and

WHEREAS, She worked at the Joliet Arsenal, stacking mortar rounds and eventually being promoted to a clerical position; during this time she and her husband ran a small produce store, where she sold fish; in 1956, her husband opened a laundromat known as the Morgan Park Laundromat, which is still in operation today; and

WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her husband; her 3 sisters and her 3 brothers; and

WHEREAS, Katherine Higginbottom is survived by her sons, Elzie Jr. (Deborah) and Eric (Shontae); her grandchildren, William, Carter, Caroline, and Parker; her sisters and brothers, Vivian Lee, Madaline Skaggs Graves, Roy Skaggs, Kenneth Skaggs, Joan C. Wells, and Sandra Sangster; a host of nieces and nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Katherine I. Higginbottom; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Katherine I. Higginbottom as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.