HR0854 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0854 LRB098 20384 MST 55963 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Mary Jewel Smith of Cairo, who passed away on February 19, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Mary Smith was born in Miller City on September 22, 1923 to Leslie and Gertrude Bowers; upon the passing of her father, she relocated to Mississippi County, Missouri in 1932 with her mother and step-father, Charles Mockett; she graduated from Diehlstadt High School in Diehlstadt, Missouri; she married Connell F. Smith on December 8, 1945; and

WHEREAS, Mary Smith worked at the Brown Shoe Company in Charleston, Missouri and then at a munitions plant in Cairo during World War II; and

WHEREAS, Mary Smith was a proud member of Laborers' Local 773 and a self-described "hard-headed" Democrat and strongly believed that working people enjoyed good wages and working conditions because of unions; and

WHEREAS, Mary Smith returned to work later in life and worked until she was 87 for the Southern Illinois Laborers' Health & Welfare Fund; and

WHEREAS, Mary Smith was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and never missed a game on radio or tv; she was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cairo, the Wyatt United Methodist Church, and the Charleston Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, Mary Smith was preceded in death by her husband, Connell; her brother, Lowell Bowers; and her sisters, Dorothy Rodriguiz, Opal Noisworthy; and Jo McDaniel; and

WHEREAS, Mary Smith is survived by her sons, Connell F. Smith, Jr. and Edward M. (Betty) Smith; her granddaughter, Jordan (Tyler) Edmonds; her grandson, Matt Smith; her great-grandsons, Trevor Smith and Graydon Edmonds; and many nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Mary Jewel Smith, and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Mary Smith as an expression of our deepest sympathy.