Full Text of SR1329 102nd General Assembly
SR1329 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | 3 | | to learn of the death of Dr. Gerald L. Clay, who passed away on | 4 | | November 4, 2022 at the age of 81; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay served in both the United States | 6 | | Army and Navy, where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant | 7 | | Commander; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay was a longtime resident of Oak | 9 | | Park and an active and visionary member and leader of the Oak | 10 | | Park community, participating in numerous Oak Park civic and | 11 | | community organizations; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, In 1988, Dr. Gerald Clay joined with fellow | 13 | | Longfellow Elementary School parents to found African-American | 14 | | Parents for Purposeful Leadership in Education (APPLE), and to | 15 | | this day, APPLE advocates for students of color with a focus on | 16 | | the African-American student experience, equity and fairness, | 17 | | and support for scholarships; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay also helped create Rites of | 19 | | Passage to support young black men growing into manhood, and | 20 | | participants have credited this ceremony as a meaningful | 21 | | turning point in their lives; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay co-founded Black-White Dialogues | 2 | | with fellow Oak Parker Lanny Lutz to provide community members | 3 | | with the opportunity to gather and discuss racial issues; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay was among the first to volunteer | 5 | | his support for then candidate Don Harmon for State Senate; he | 6 | | continued to serve as an advisor and mentor to Senator Harmon | 7 | | and served as chair of the 39th District Scholarship Selection | 8 | | Committee; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay established the Gerald L. Clay | 10 | | Scholarship, a merit and needs-based fund to help | 11 | | African-American male students at Oak Park River Forest High | 12 | | School to pursue their academic goals and dreams; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Clay is survived by his wife of 58 | 14 | | years, Retired Judge Evelyn Brown Clay; his daughter, | 15 | | Tracy-Elizabeth Clay; his son, Dr. Lamont G. Clay; and his | 16 | | three grandchildren, Hannah, Isaac, and Harper; therefore, be | 17 | | it
| 18 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL | 19 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 20 | | Dr. Gerald L. Clay and extend our sincere condolences to his | 21 | | family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it |
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| 1 | | further
| 2 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 3 | | presented to the family of Dr. Gerald L. Clay as an expression | 4 | | of our deepest gratitude and sympathy.
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