HR0207 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0207 LRB098 11619 GRL 44013 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Katie Bell Jackson-Booker, who passed away on March 22, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker was born on September 7, 1941, in Natchez, Mississippi; her parents were Charles and Mary Russell Green; she married Fred Jackson, Jr. in June of 1958; she later married Melvin Booker in December of 1978; and

WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker spent her early years in Mississippi and attended Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn University; she and her family moved from Natchez to Dixmoor in September of 1962; and

WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker served for over 37 years in positions of increasing responsibility for Cook County Health Systems, culminating as a hospital health administrator at the time of her retirement in 2010; after her retirement, she continued working with civic organizations such as Roseland Cease Fire, the Chicago Public Schools Safe Passage program, and the Nehemiah Restoration Coalition; and

WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker began her active service in community affairs by leading a cause for a new traffic light to improve safety for the children in the West Harvey/Dixmoor School District; she went on to become active in community groups such as PTO, Lunch Moms, Cub Scouts, and the Dixmoor Little League; she later began serving as President of the local American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) council at Oak Forest Hospital; she was an active member of the Thornton Township Regular Democratic Organization, participated in its annual Thanksgiving Dinner every year, and was named one of their "Women of the Year" in 2011; in 1971, she was elected to the Board of Education for West Harvey/Dixmoor School District 147, where she served for over 40 years; she served as a Trustee of South Suburban College District 510 for 19 years; she was deeply committed to quality public education opportunities and served as Chair of the Black Caucus of the National School Board Association; she was also an active member of the National Association of Black School Educators and the Illinois and National School Board Associations; and

WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker was raised as a Christian from childhood and was an inaugural member of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church; she dutifully educated her family in Christian doctrine and was a choir member; and

WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions; in 2012, Vail Street in Harvey was renamed in her honor; she was also an Eastern Star member of the St. John Lodge Queen of Sheba Chapter; and

WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker was preceded in death by her father, Charles Green; her mother, Mary Savier; her son, Kelvin Trent; her husband, Melvin Booker; her granddaughter, Salissa; her cousin, Maurice Stewart; and her extended family, Jackie Harris, Allison Hall, and Robert Jones; and

WHEREAS, Katie Jackson-Booker is survived by her children, Bobby (Renita), Gregory (Sharon), Marrion (Benard), Reginald (Barbara), Melvin Leander, and Sheila O'Bryant; her grandchildren, Tiffane (Kelly), Justin, Imani, Christopher, DeAndrea, John, Makayla, Marna, Megan, Matthew, Chalessa, Michela, Charles, and Derrick; her great-grandchildren, Kameron, Katelyn, Kelly Jr., Khalila, and Makayla; and her extended family, Velma Jackson, Gladyse (Bernard) Taylor, Michael, Steven, and Robbyn Hall, DeLeon (Ieshia) Duckworth, Mary (Kaiser) Wright, Della Patterson, Dorothy Jones, Clara Henry, Maurice Ricardo, and Effrem Contrel Stewart; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Katie Bell Jackson-Booker; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Katie Jackson-Booker as an expression of our sympathy.