Full Text of HR0847 102nd General Assembly
HR0847 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Desiree | 4 | | F. Gardner-Sankey, who passed away on April 12, 2022; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Desiree Gardner-Sankey was born to Shirley and | 6 | | Nettie J. Fortenberry in Columbia, Mississippi on July 4, | 7 | | 1931; in an environment of separate schools and segregated | 8 | | lunch counters, she excelled both as a student and star | 9 | | athlete at Burglund High School in McComb, Mississippi; in her | 10 | | senior year, she led her all-girls basketball team to win the | 11 | | state's Big Ten Championship; she married James H. Sankey Sr., | 12 | | and their long marriage was one of love and laughter; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, While in high school, Desiree Gardner-Sankey | 14 | | worked as a window decorator at a local clothing store and was | 15 | | soon trained to become a store clerk; on her first day as a | 16 | | salesperson, every white salesperson refused to work with her, | 17 | | walked off the floor, and resigned; after moving to Chicago to | 18 | | escape the oppression of the South, she worked at Roxy | 19 | | Cleaners on 43rd Street; later, she worked the overnight shift | 20 | | at Montgomery Ward, followed by a short stint at Spencer Press | 21 | | until the press relocated to Westmont; in 1965, she began her | 22 | | notable career at the U.S. Post Office as a part-time employee | 23 | | but quickly rose through the ranks to become a supervisor at |
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| 1 | | the Bedford Park Facility; she retired after 43 years of | 2 | | service in 2008; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Desiree Gardner-Sankey joined the Faith Community | 4 | | of Saint Sabina in 1967 and became a faithful and devoted | 5 | | member, sacrificing to send her three children and a grandson | 6 | | to Catholic schools; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Desiree Gardner-Sankey was a woman of deep faith | 8 | | and deep compassion; she had always held a desire to become a | 9 | | nurse and, through her life, exhibited a deep compassion and | 10 | | caring for others, especially the elderly; she had an inner | 11 | | core of strength and resilience, as evidenced by her ability | 12 | | to persevere through all circumstances; she was a woman of | 13 | | wonder, dignity, determination, elegance, and grace who | 14 | | selflessly served her family, her community, and her faith; | 15 | | and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, Desiree Gardner-Sankey is survived by her | 17 | | husband, James; her daughters, Jacqueline Y. Collins, Kai Yael | 18 | | (Andrew) Gardner-Mishlove, LaVese (Glenn) Jordan, and Shirley | 19 | | (Derrick) Wilkerson; her son, Sean M. Gardner; her brother, | 20 | | Earl C. Fortenberry; her grandchildren, Yolanda (Allen), Sean | 21 | | J. (Marniece), Berhane, Surya, Jnana, Dionta, Shantai, | 22 | | Brianna, Ava, Marlon, and Miracle; her nephews, Rock (Carla) | 23 | | Anderson and Earl (Georgia) Fortenberry Jr.; her nieces, |
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| 1 | | Shirley (Rodney) Williams and Chervonda Fortenberry; her | 2 | | cousins, Barbara (Leo) Lowery, Billy McCorkle Sr., Patsy | 3 | | Jefferson, and Mary Jacobs (Earl) Oubre; her | 4 | | great-grandchildren; her great-nieces and great-nephews; her | 5 | | cousins; her friends; and her special schnauzer, Sasha; | 6 | | therefore, be it
| 7 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 8 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 9 | | we mourn the passing of
Desiree F. Gardner-Sankey and extend | 10 | | our sincere
condolences to her family, friends, and all who | 11 | | knew and loved
her; and be it further
| 12 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
| 13 | | presented to the family of Desiree Gardner-Sankey as an | 14 | | expression of
our deepest sympathy.
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