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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Clarence Shelley of Champaign, who
4passed away on January 17, 2022; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Clarence Shelley was born to Grady Shelley and
6Alma (Jones) Shelley in Detroit, Michigan on August 16, 1931;
7he graduated from Miller High School; he worked as a dock
8worker with the Merchant Marines and on cruise ships on the
9Great Lakes; he majored in Journalism at Wayne State
10University before deciding to become a high school English
11teacher; he was initiated into the Alpha Beta Chapter of Kappa
12Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. in 1951; he served in the U.S. Army
13from 1952 until he was honorably discharged in 1954; he
14returned to Wayne State, where he played football and earned
15his bachelor's degree in English in 1957; he earned his
16master's degree in Education in 1965; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Clarence Shelley worked as an English teacher at
18Northeastern High School in Detroit for 10 years; through
19teaching, he counseled and mentored students and advised
20administrators at the Detroit Board of Education, the
21Cranbrook School in Michigan, Wayne State University, and
22Dartmouth College in New Hampshire; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, After Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated
2in 1968, Clarence Shelley was invited by Chancellor Jack
3Peltason of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to
4run a new program to support Black students; he became the
5first director of the new Special Education Opportunities
6Program and was charged with organizing one of the nation's
7earliest and largest recruitment efforts of Black students and
8students of color; he was named dean of students in 1974,
9assistant vice chancellor in 1984, and associate vice
10chancellor for Student Affairs before his first retirement in
112001; he also served as special assistant to the chancellor
12and continued to develop cultural programming while acting as
13an ambassador to Black alumni and alumni of color until 2016;
14he also contributed to academic research, professional
15training materials, and other publications; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Clarence Shelley served as an adviser to African
17American Young Men Moving; he also served as a chapter adviser
18to the Beta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. for 25
19years; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Clarence Shelley was awarded the UI Chancellor's
21Medallion for Service to the Campus and was one of 18
22remarkable individuals featured in the university's 150th
23anniversary publication for triggering innovation at the
24University of Illinois and beyond; he was recognized for his

 

 

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1leadership and contributions by the Black Greek Council, the
2Interfraternity Council, La Casa Cultural Latina, the Asian
3Pacific American Student Coalition, the American Civil
4Liberties Union, and the UI Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
5and Transgender Concerns; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Clarence Shelley enjoyed film, football, train
7travel, and theater, including the Krannert Center and the
8Shakespeare Theater Festival; he also enjoyed entertaining his
9family and friends in his home and visiting his favorite
10spots, including Esquire Grill, Baxter's, Sun Singer, and
11occasionally Culver's; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Clarence Shelley was preceded in death by his
13parents and his siblings, Grady Shellie, William Shelley,
14Clara Butler, Susie Spivey, Helen Perkins, Constance Turner,
15and Barbara Myles; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Clarence Shelley is survived by his wife of 23
17years, Sharon Ormsby-Shelley; his daughters, Dana (Robert A.
18Glasner) Vickers Shelley, Pamela-Alyse Shelley, and Courtney
19Walker; his son, Craig Walker; his sister, Carlotta Shelley;
20his brothers-in-law, Ronald G. (Reneé) Vickers and Matthew
21Tuite; his sister-in-law, Marveen Tuite; his grandchildren,
22Craig J. (Kasey) Walker Jr., Cory Sutton, Jordan (Megan)
23Walker, Danielle B. (Edwin) McGhee, Chase Walker, and David

 

 

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1McKenzie; his nine great-grandchildren; his nieces and
2nephews; his Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity brothers; his friends;
3and his former students, mentees, and colleagues; therefore,
4be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
6ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
7Clarence Shelley and extend our sincere condolences to his
8family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
9further
 
10    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
11presented to the family of Clarence Shelley as an expression
12of our deepest sympathy.