SR0191 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0191 LRB098 11538 MST 43796 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Barbara S. Penelton of Peoria, who passed away on March 18, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Barbara Penelton was born on April 8, 1937, in Chicago to Ruth and George Spencer; she attended Chicago Public Schools and earned a bachelors of science and a masters of science in education in 1958 and 1961, respectively, from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana; she married Frank Smith but that union ended in divorce and in 1968 she married Richard Penelton; and

WHEREAS, Barbara Penelton began teaching for the Chicago Public Schools; in 1966, she moved to Peoria after accepting a position as director of education for the Peoria Tri-County Urban League; in 1969, she became the first African-American female faculty member at Bradley University, where she taught and served as chair of the university's Department of Teacher Education in the College of Education and Health Sciences; and

WHEREAS, Barbara Penelton was preceded in death by her mother, Ruth and her husband, Richard; and

WHEREAS, Barbara Penelton is survived by her father, George Spencer Sr.; her brother, George Spencer Jr.; her daughters, Lisa Penelton and Kim (Frank) Campbell; her grandchildren, Franklin and Julian Campbell; her other children, Toby Smith, Sheri Mathis, Dominique Brown, and George Lyon Spencer; her other grandchildren, Nishay Brown, Daejunique Brown, Jordan Carter, Nathan Carter, Sydney Mathis, Joseph Mathis, Geordan Spencer, and Skye Spencer; her goddaughter, Karlyn Miller Singleton; one godgranddaughter, Tamara Camille Butler; and a host of other much-beloved children, family members, book club sisters, and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Barbara Penelton, and we extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Barbara Penelton as an expression of our deepest sympathy.