HR0785LRB099 14462 MST 38575 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the
3State of Illinois learned with deep sorrow and regret of the
4death of our friend and colleague, State Representative Esther
5Golar of Chicago, on Monday, September 21, 2015; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Representative Golar was born in Chicago on April
716, 1944, one of 9 children; a lifelong resident of Chicago's
8South Side, she grew up in the West Englewood neighborhood,
9graduated from Richard T. Crane High School and Malcolm X
10College, and resided in the Englewood and New City
11neighborhoods; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Representative Golar made her mark as a dedicated
13public servant and local leader, building local organizations,
14advocating for greater public safety, and fighting for those
15who struggle; she was a coordinator for the Chicago Alternative
16Policing Strategy for more than 15 years and an organizer for
17the Chicago Alliance for Neighborhood Safety, training
18residents to build friendlier and safer communities; she was a
19community service representative at Robert Fulton School and a
20resident board member of Neighborhood Housing Services of
21Chicago, Inc.; strong in faith, she attended and volunteered at
22Trinity United Church of Christ; and
 

 

 

HR0785- 2 -LRB099 14462 MST 38575 r

1    WHEREAS, Representative Golar's passion for helping others
2and improving the quality of life in Chicago and throughout the
3State led to her involvement in dozens of community and service
4organizations, including Children's Home and Aid, the Back of
5the Yards Neighborhood Council, the Chicago Coalition for the
6Homeless, LUBAA Women's Shelter, the Canaryville Little
7League, Teamwork Englewood, the Englewood Black Chamber of
8Commerce, Faith in Place, Ada S. McKinley Community Services,
9The Arc of Illinois, Faith Coalition for the Common Good,
10Illinois Action for Children, and the Anti-Violence Initiative
11at the University of Chicago School of Public Health; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Representative Golar worked for the Chicago
13Police Department on Chicago's South and West sides in the
14Troubled Buildings Unit and as a Community Policing
15Coordinator; a testament to her selflessness and loyalty,
16though she began her service with the Police Department on
17Chicago's South Side, after she was transferred to the West
18Side, she continued to help her coworkers on the South Side;
19and
 
20    WHEREAS, Representative Golar joined the Illinois House of
21Representatives in 2005; committed to constituent service, her
22constituents would often stop her at the grocery store, the
23pharmacy, and throughout the community asking for assistance;
24she did her best to deliver needed services, from street

 

 

HR0785- 3 -LRB099 14462 MST 38575 r

1sweeping and street lighting to enforcing child support
2payments; she regularly attended events in the community, such
3as the Englewood Back to School Parade and the Resident
4Association of Greater Englewood's "So Fresh Saturdays"
5series; she visited and met with constituents, and worked to
6build bridges and strengthen relationships for the betterment
7of local neighborhoods; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Representative Golar's legislative
9responsibilities were a reflection of her priorities and her
10determination to improve the lives of not only her constituents
11but of all Illinois residents; she fought for safer
12neighborhoods, stronger schools and additional educational
13resources for children, equal access to health care and
14economic development; she advocated for seniors, persons with
15disabilities, and for better wages and a better standard of
16living for the middle class and struggling families; one of the
17first laws she passed was aimed at increasing State payments to
18vendors of homemaker, chore, and housekeeping services for the
19purpose of increasing employees' wages and providing health
20insurance; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Throughout her nearly 10 years in the House of
22Representatives, Representative Golar served as House
23Chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus, Chair of the
24Elementary and Secondary Education: School Curriculum and

 

 

HR0785- 4 -LRB099 14462 MST 38575 r

1Policies Committee, Chair of the Public Policy and
2Accountability for Education Committee, and Chair and
3Vice-Chair of the Housing and Disability Services committees;
4her committee membership included service on the Elementary and
5Secondary Education, Child Support Enforcement, Health Care
6Availability and Accessibility, Human Services Appropriations,
7Elementary and Secondary Education Appropriations, and
8Judiciary-Criminal Law Committees; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Representative Golar's legislative achievements
10include the Senator Penny Severns Memorial Award for her
11advocacy for persons with disabilities, the Back of the Yards
12Neighborhood Leadership Award, and the Safer Foundation's
13CARRE Visionary Award for her outstanding contributions to
14eliminate barriers to employment for people with criminal
15records; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Representative Golar was adored and respected by
17her friends and colleagues and will be remembered for her
18resolve, her commitment to public service, her devotion to
19faith, her kindness, her sense of humor, and for bringing
20levity to sometimes tense moments with her gift of song; her
21quiet nature and friendly demeanor were a reflection of her
22warm personality, but she never hesitated to rise and fight for
23the disadvantaged, the most vulnerable and those who struggle;
24and
 

 

 

HR0785- 5 -LRB099 14462 MST 38575 r

1    WHEREAS, Representative Golar was a loving sister, the
2proud mother of Tiffany Golar, and the devoted grandmother of
3Briana Golar, Toni Common, Ananea Common, and Jayden Golar; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The death of Representative Golar is deeply felt
5by her family, friends and all who knew and loved her, and her
6presence at the State Capitol will be greatly missed;
7therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10we, along with her family and friends, mourn the passing of
11State Representative Esther Golar; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to the family of Representative Golar as an
14expression of our deepest sympathies and respect.