SR0839 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0839 LRB099 13578 MST 37523 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of John Timmes of Peoria, who passed away on July 27, 2015; and

WHEREAS, John Timmes was born in Jackson, Mississippi on February 19, 1925 to Charley and Ophelia (Rembert) Timmes; he married Kathryn Williams on August 11, 1956 in Ashland, Kentucky; he was educated in the Jackson, Mississippi school system and was a United States Army veteran, serving from 1943 to 1945 during World War II; and

WHEREAS, John Timmes began a long career in law enforcement in 1958 as a patrolman in the Peoria Police Department; he was promoted to Sergeant in 1966 and worked in the juvenile and civic affairs division for the next 16 years; he and his partner and long-time friend, George Shadid, were the first integrated partners on Peoria's police force; and

WHEREAS, after retiring from the police department, John Timmes worked security at Caterpillar, Inc., as head of security at the Peoria Civic Center, and at Peoria School District 150, serving Manual High School and Trewyn Middle School; he provided security for the Carver Community Center and at the Riverplex as a Peoria Park District police officer until his final retirement in 2005; and

WHEREAS, John Timmes was named Peoria Policeman of the Year in 1970 and was inducted into the Peoria African-American Hall of Fame Museum in 2000; his many other awards include the Lifetime Service Award from the Peoria Afro-American Police League in 2006; and

WHEREAS, John Timmes was an avid tennis player who won many city tournaments with his favorite partner, Dr. James Stafford; he served on the board of directors of the Carver Community Center and was a member of the Bradley University Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, the Tri-County Urban League Guild, and Bethel United Methodist Church; and

WHEREAS, John Timmes was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Janique Timmes; his brother, Elbert Timmes; his niece, Joan Timmes; and his nephew, Milton Timmes; and

WHEREAS, John Timmes is survived by his wife, Kathryn W. Timmes; his daughters, Johnna N. Timmes and Carolyn Collins; his sisters, Doris (Walter) Nelson and Ida B. Kelly; his nephews, Charles (Valerie) Timmes and Vanness Nelson; his nieces, Cynthia Long and Patricia Timmes; his great-niece, Brittany (Steve) Graves; his great-nephew, Trenton N. Timmes; and a host of other family 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 John Timmes, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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