HR0352 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0352 LRB101 12319 MST 60212 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of James Lee Falls Sr., who passed away on April 19, 2019; and

WHEREAS, James Falls was born in Pickens, Mississippi to Willie Allen and Izola (Woodcox) Falls on April 30, 1937; he attended Richland Vocational High School until his junior year and completed his education at Phillips High School in Chicago in 1959; he married Leonia in 1964; and

WHEREAS, From 1960 to 1977, James Falls worked as a bus boy and later as a manager at the department store Charles A. Stevens; in 1966, he took on a second job at night as a janitor with the University of Chicago; after a four-year apprenticeship, he worked as a building engineer, an opportunity only made available to people of color years after passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; by the time he and Leonia retired in 1999, they had acquired and sold over 24 units of residential and commercial real estate; and

WHEREAS, James Falls was president of the 7700 S. Cornell Block Club Association and the Stony-Jeffery Citizens for Community Control; he was an active member of the 8th Ward Regular Democratic Organization and volunteered for numerous civic organizations; he was a member of Greater Institutional A.M.E. Church for over 50 years, where he served as an usher; and

WHEREAS, James Falls enjoyed taking family road trips; he was an avid sports fan and especially enjoyed basketball, bowling, and attending his children's sporting events; and

WHEREAS, James Falls was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Willie Jr., Thomas, and Clarence; and his sisters, Allean, Doris, and Ruby; and

WHEREAS, James Falls is survived by his wife of 55 years, Leonia; his children, Gwendolyn (David), Rodney (Natalie), and James Jr. (Beverly); his grandchildren, Jeremy, Justin, Sydney, Jalynn, Raven, Milan, Gabrielle, and Zola; his siblings, John (Pat), Edward (Mary), Sam, Charles (Martha), Ruth (Howard), Carnear, and Homer (Dorothy); his siblings-in-law, BW, Elizabeth, Leomia (Delores), Mary, and Thomas; and a host of nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of James Lee Falls Sr. and extend our sincere condolences 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 James Falls as an expression of our deepest sympathy.