HR0195LRB098 11555 MST 43833 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Katie
4Bell Jackson-Booker who passed away on March 22, 2013; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker was born on September 7,
61941, in Natchez, Mississippi, to Charles and Mary Russell
7Green; she spent her early years in Mississippi and attended
8Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn University; she married
9Fred Jackson Jr. in June 1958 and the family moved to Dixmoor
10in September of 1962; her first union did not work out and in
11December 1978 she married Melvin Booker; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker spent over 37 years working
13for the Cook County Health Systems; she retired in 2010 having
14achieved the position of hospital health administrator; after
15retirement, she continued to work with civic organizations such
16as Roseland Cease Fire, Chicago Public Schools Safe Passage
17program, and Nehemiah Restoration Coalition; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker had a long history of
19dedicated community service; she was active with groups such as
20PLO, Lunch Moms, Cub Scouts, and Dixmoor Little League; she
21served as president of the local American Federation of State,
22County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) council at Oak Forest

 

 

HR0195- 2 -LRB098 11555 MST 43833 r

1Hospital; she became an active member of the Thornton Township
2Regular Democratic Organization and participated in its annual
3Thanksgiving dinner each year; in 2011, she was named one of
4their "Women of the Year" along with other such distinguished
5women including Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Cook County
6Commissioner Deborah Simms; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker was elected to the board of
8education for West Harvey-Dixmoor School District 147 and
9served for over 40 years; she was also a trustee for South
10Suburban College District 510 for the last 19 years; she was
11deeply committed to public education and served as chair of the
12Black Caucus of the National School Board Association; she was
13an active member of the National Association of Black School
14Educators and the Illinois and National School Board
15Associations; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker was affectionately known as
17"Momma B" or "Ma Booker"; she was a gifted chef, loved to
18travel, and was an inaugural member of St. Marks Missionary
19Baptist Church; she received numerous awards and recognitions
20throughout her life including having Vail Street in Harvey
21renamed in her honor in 2012 and being named an Eastern Star
22member of the St. John Lodge Queen of Sheba Chapter; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker was preceded in death by her

 

 

HR0195- 3 -LRB098 11555 MST 43833 r

1father, Charles Green; her mother, Mary Savier; her son, Kelvin
2Trent; her husband, Melvin Booker; her extended family of
3Jackie Harris, Allison Hall, and Robert Jones; her
4granddaughter, Salissa; and her cousin, Maurice Stewart; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker is survived by her children,
6Bobby (Renita), Gregory (Sharon), Marrion (Benard), Reginald
7(Barbara), Melvin Leander, and Sheila (aka Diane) O'Bryant; her
8grandchildren, Tiffane (Kelly), Justin, Imani, Christopher,
9DeAndrea, John, Makayla, Marna, Megan, Matthew, Chalessa,
10Michela, Charles, and Derrick; her great-grandchildren,
11Kameron, Katelyn, Kelly Jr., and Khalila; and her extended
12family, Makayla, Velma (aka Rose) Jackson, Gladyse (Bernard)
13Taylor, Michael, Steven, and Robbyn Hall, DeLeon (Leshia)
14Duckworth, Mary (Kaiser) Wright, Della Patterson, Dorothy
15Jones, Clara Henry, Maurice Ricardo, and Effrem Contrel
16Stewart; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19we mourn the passing of Katie Jackson-Booker, and we extend our
20sincere condolences to her family, friends and all who knew and
21loved her; and be it further
 
22    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
23presented to the family of Katie Jackson-Booker as an

 

 

HR0195- 4 -LRB098 11555 MST 43833 r

1expression of our deepest sympathy.