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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Willie L. May, who passed away on March
428, 2012; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Willie May was born on November 11, 1936, in
6Tuscaloosa, Alabama; his parents were Louise Higgins and Bennie
7May; he married Norma Jean Butler on July 5, 1964; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Willie May moved to the Chicago area at an early
9age and grew up in Robbins; he attended Blue Island Community
10High School (now Eisenhower High School), where he participated
11in various sports; in 1955, he led the school to an Illinois
12State Championship and won gold medals in the 120-yard high
13hurdles, the 180-yard low hurdles, and the 880-yard relay; he
14subsequently attended the university of Colorado before
15graduating from Indiana University, where he won 7 Big Ten
16championships in the hurdles from 1957 to 1959; he also earned
17his master's degree in physical education from Indiana
18University in 1966; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Willie May competed in the 1960 Olympic Games in
20Rome, Italy, where he won the silver medal in the 110-meter
21hurdles after a photo finish; he also won the silver medal at
22the 1963 Pan-American Games; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Willie May began his long and distinguished career
2in education during the 1960s; in 1967, he began teaching at
3Evanston Township High School (ETHS); while at ETHS, he served
4as both a teacher and as an assistant boys track and field
5coach; during his tenure as assistant coach, the school won
6State titles in 1970, 1971, 1972, and 1974; after taking over
7as head coach in 1975, he led the Evanston Wildcats to 26
8conference titles, including 24 consecutive titles, from 1976
9to 1999, as well as 5 IHSA State trophies; in 1983, he became
10the first African-American athletic director at ETHS, a
11position he held until his retirement from the teacher and
12athletic director positions in 2000; after his retirement, he
13continued to serve as an assistant coach at ETHS while
14participating in numerous church activities; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Willie May was inducted into the Indiana
16University Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000, the
17Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of
18Fame in 2007, and the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2010;
19he was also named one of the most notable athletes in the
20history of Blue Island (Eisenhower) High School and is a member
21of the school's hall of fame; and
 
22    WHEREAS, As a child, Willie May attended Wheeler Chapel CME
23Church in Robbins, where he accepted Christ at an early age; he

 

 

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1later became a devoted member of St. James AME Church in
2Chicago for over 30 years; at St. James, he served as the Head
3Usher of the Usher Board and a member of the church's Trustee
4Board; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Willie May is survived by his loving wife, Norma
6May; his daughters, Kristian May (Paul) Stewart and Karen May;
7his grandsons, Myles Stewart and Chase Stewart; his
8sister-in-law, Pearlene Cunningham; his brother-in-law, John
9Butler III; his aunt, Anna Weatherspoon; his uncles, James
10(Jean) Young, Dock (Charlotte) Young, and Isaac Eaves; his 2
11nephews and one niece; and his many cousins, other family
12members, and friends; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
14ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
15his family and friends, the passing of Willie L. May; and be it
16further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Willie May as an expression of our
19sympathy.