SR0050 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0050 LRB097 10337 KXB 50546 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Mayme Finley Spencer of Evanston, who passed away on February 8, 2011; and

WHEREAS, She was born February 28, 1921 and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; her father, Robert, worked construction for the city and her mother, Evelyn, was a housewife; her parents died prior to her entering high school, and she raised her three siblings by herself with help from an uncle; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from Marquette University, she moved to Chicago and found work as a lab technician at Mt. Sinai Hospital; she received her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law, and continued to practice law up until her passing; and

WHEREAS, She married Warren Frank Spencer, an Evanston doctor; she became an Evanston alderman, and made fair housing her priority; her fair housing ordinance was one of her biggest achievements; and

WHEREAS, When her service as an alderman ended she became a member of the Northern Illinois University board of trustees and served on former Illinois Governor Walker's commission on race relations; she was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, and enjoyed playing bridge, bingo, and working crossword puzzles; she was very proud of her family, and loved having Sunday brunch with them; and

WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her parents; her three siblings; and her husband; and

WHEREAS, Mayme Finley Spencer is survived by her daughters, Clothield Miller and her husband, Willie J. Miller, Wendy Spencer and her long-time friend, George Griffin, Karen Spencer Kelly and her husband, John B. Kelly, and Shelley Spencer Fitzsimmons and her husband, Patrick Fitzsimmons; and her eight grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Mayme Finley Spencer; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Mayme Finley Spencer as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.