SR2506 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR2506 LRB099 24303 MST 52049 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Mary Ann Edwards, who passed away on December 5, 2016; and

WHEREAS, Mary Edwards was born in Alligator, Mississippi to Beulah Suber and Charles Edwards on December 27, 1935; after the sudden death of her mother at the age eight, she moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where she was raised by her Aunt Laura and Uncle Ransom Suber; she graduated from Douglass Community High School in 1953 and attended LeMoyne-Owen College before moving to Chicago; she married Robert L. Woods at Kelly United Methodist Church in Chicago on October 24, 1959; and

WHEREAS, Mary Edwards and her family moved to Markham in October of 1970 and joined the Community Mennonite Church, where they served in various capacities for over 40 years; and

WHEREAS, Mary Edwards worked at CARC/Envision from October of 1969 to April of 2002, serving adults with special needs; and

WHEREAS, Mary Edwards was very active in her community; she served in many organizations, including the CMC Board, the CMC Day Care Board, and the Wilshire Block Club; she was a Trustee of the Markham Public Library Board and was an active member of the Markham Senior Citizen Club, the Midwest Royal Dollies Red Hats Society, and the OAK Senior Citizens Club; and

WHEREAS, Mary Edwards was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Robert; and

WHEREAS, Mary Edwards is survived by her daughters, Mona and Susan; her granddaughter, Maya; her cousin, Ethel Johnson; her sister-in-law, Jake Ella Woods; her two oldest friends, Victoria Hunter, and Opal Gill; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Mary Ann Edwards, 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 Edwards as an expression of our deepest sympathy.