Full Text of HR1042 102nd General Assembly
HR1042 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Shirley | 4 | | J. Newsome of Chicago, who passed away on December 25, 2022; | 5 | | and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome was born to Rev. Charlie Murray | 7 | | Sr. and Blancy Lillie Strong on August 15, 1945; she attended | 8 | | Marshall High School and Chicago Teachers College, now the | 9 | | Chicago State University College of Education; she was a | 10 | | resident of North Kenwood-Oakland in Chicago since 1979; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome worked as an executive and | 12 | | judicial assistant, legal secretary, and stenographer across | 13 | | various agencies for the U.S. Government for more than 45 | 14 | | years, including 33 years with the Federal Circuit Court | 15 | | system and 11 years with the Court of Appeals for the Seventh | 16 | | Circuit, before retiring in 2006; throughout her career, she | 17 | | received regular acknowledgments and awards for outstanding | 18 | | quality, special service, and length of service; and
| 19 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome was a well-known North | 20 | | Kenwood-Oakland community leader and caretaker; she first | 21 | | became involved in her community through founding the Lake | 22 | | Park-Berkeley-Ellis-Drexel Block Club Association in 1981, |
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| 1 | | which encompassed the area between Drexel Boulevard and the | 2 | | Lake and Pershing Road to 43rd Street; she was involved in the | 3 | | overall development and revitalization of the community area | 4 | | since 1988; she participated in the 80 planning meetings that | 5 | | led to the designation of North Kenwood-Oakland as a | 6 | | conservation area and served as co-chair of the Planning | 7 | | Committee; following designation by the Chicago City Council, | 8 | | she was appointed chairman of the North Kenwood-Oakland | 9 | | Community Conservation Council (NK-O CCC) in 1991; during her | 10 | | tenure, the NK-O CCC approved housing developments, from new | 11 | | condominiums to expanded parks to the reconfiguration of | 12 | | Oakwood Boulevard; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome joined the South East Chicago | 14 | | Commission (SECC) in 2006; she was appointed to the SECC Board | 15 | | in 2008 to lead efforts in housing, transportation, business | 16 | | development and retention, neighborhood improvement, and arts | 17 | | and culture; she served as president of the SECC Board for 11 | 18 | | years; and
| 19 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome was appointed by then-Mayor | 20 | | Richard Daley to fill the interim alderman seat of the Fourth | 21 | | Ward left vacant by Toni Preckwinkle; she was unanimously | 22 | | approved by the City Council on January 13, 2011 and served | 23 | | until May 2011; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome belonged to several | 2 | | organizations, serving as board chairman of the Quad | 3 | | Communities Development Corporation (QCDC), vice-chair of the | 4 | | University of Chicago Charter School, and | 5 | | vice-chair/commissioner of the Community Development | 6 | | Commission; she was a member of the Obama Presidential Library | 7 | | Community Advisory Council, the Fourth Ward Democratic | 8 | | Organization, and the Ida B. Wells Commemorative Art | 9 | | Committee; she also served as a member and community | 10 | | representative of several Chicago Housing Authority working | 11 | | groups and Chicago Park District advisory councils; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome committed to her faith at an | 13 | | early age, first attending the West Side New Galilee | 14 | | Missionary Baptist Church, where her father was pastor; she | 15 | | became a member of Monumental Baptist Church in 1979 and | 16 | | served in numerous leadership positions; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome's civic engagement and work was | 18 | | highlighted by several organizations; she received several | 19 | | community service awards from multiple organizations, | 20 | | including Business & Professional People for the Public | 21 | | Interest in 2002, Genesis Housing in 2005, and the Abraham | 22 | | Lincoln Centre in 2006; she also received the Local | 23 | | Initiatives Support Corporation's Community Heroes Award in | 24 | | 2009 and the Fourth Ward Democratic Organization's Leadership |
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| 1 | | Award in 2011; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome was a champion of Chicago and its | 3 | | diverse communities, guiding Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Kenwood, | 4 | | Oakland, Washington Park, and Woodlawn with goodness, dignity, | 5 | | and truth; she will be remembered for her service and | 6 | | dedication to her community's development, history, and | 7 | | legacy; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome was preceded in death by her | 9 | | parents; her husband, Howard Newsome; her son, Glenn M. | 10 | | Murray; her sisters, Patricia Murray-Hymon and Stephanie James | 11 | | Murray; and her brother, Kim Murray; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Shirley Newsome is survived by her sister, Ruby | 13 | | J. Ruff; her brother, Rev. Charles Murray Jr.; her | 14 | | granddaughter, Naquitta Dent; her three great-grandchildren; | 15 | | other extended family; and her Monumental Baptist Church | 16 | | family; therefore, be it
| 17 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 18 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 19 | | we mourn the passing of Shirley J. Newsome and extend our | 20 | | sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew | 21 | | and loved her; and be it further
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| 1 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 2 | | presented to the family of Shirley Newsome as an expression of | 3 | | our deepest sympathy.
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