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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate were saddened
3 to learn of the passing of Joyce Lauretta (Gill) Robinson on
4 January 1, 2007; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Born on October 18, 1939, in Alton, Joyce Gill was
6 the daughter of Harl A. Gill and Mary Lee (Watts) Gill Johnson;
7 she was the stepdaughter of Edmond B. Johnson and was formerly
8 married to the late Ralph Preston Robinson; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Influenced by her teacher Lula Mae Simms, Mrs.
10 Robinson was educated as a teacher after graduating from the
11 Alton School District and received her bachelor's and master's
12 degrees in education from Southern Illinois University in
13 Edwardsville; and
 
14     WHEREAS, As a student teacher in 1960, she was one of the
15 first African Americans to teach at the integrated Alton High
16 School and taught at the former St. Joseph's School of Nursing;
17 in 1999, she retired from the state of Illinois after more than
18 35 years as a social worker at the Alton Mental Health Center;
19 and
 
20     WHEREAS, From 1980 to 1995, she was a member of the Alton
21 School Board as its first and only African-American woman
22 member; for four years she served as the school board's
23 president where she oversaw
22 passage of the first bond issue in
24 Alton in almost 20 years; and
 
25     WHEREAS, Mrs. Robinson chaired the Eva McDonald Women's
26 History Coalition, was a founder, life member, and membership
27 chair of the National Council of Negro Women, Alton Section,
28 and served as secretary and was a life member of the Elijah P.
29 Lovejoy Memorial; she was a third-generation member of the
30 Federated Unity Club of Alton and was a member of the Riverbend

 

 

SR0928 - 2 - LRB094 22246 RAH 60933 r

1 Belles Red Hats; and
 
2     WHEREAS, A former member of Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, she
3 was active in Christian education and taught Sunday school for
4 40 years; she subsequently joined Unity Fellowship Church and
5 was active in the Mary L. Johnson Missionaries; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Mrs. Robinson received many awards for her
7 community service, including the YWCA of Alton Women of
8 Distinction Award and the Elijah P. Lovejoy Human Rights Award;
9 she was an early recipient of the Lovejoy Memorial Scholarship;
10 and
 
11     WHEREAS, Mrs. Robinson was known for her independence,
12 sense of humor and devotion to human rights; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Lauretta Johnson is survived by her three sons,
14 John Eric Robinson, Ralph Preston Robinson and his wife,
15 Stephanie, and Reginald Robinson and his wife, Lissette; her
16 grandchildren, Preston Pierre, Kyle, Kerry, Kory, Keenan,
17 Eliana, and Preston Jay; her niece and nephew who were like her
18 children, Sylvia Flowers and Dwight Flowers; her sister, Joan
19 Flowers, and her husband, Dwight; and her aunts, uncles,
20 cousins, nieces, nephews and friends; she was preceded in death
21 by her parents, stepfather and a brother, John Gill; therefore,
22 be it
 
23     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
24 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
25 her family and friends, the death of Joyce Lauretta Robinson;
26 and be it further
 
27     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
28 presented to the family of Joyce Lauretta Robinson as a sign of
29 our condolences.