Bill Text: IL SR0483 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Sylvia Dawn Jones Walton-Alston.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-01 - Resolution Adopted [SR0483 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SR0483-Introduced.html

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SR0483 LRB101 12734 MST 61508 r
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
learn of the death of Sylvia Dawn Jones Walton-Alston, who
passed away on May 24, 2019; and
WHEREAS, Sylvia Walton-Alston was born in Chicago on August
30, 1944 and raised by her parents, Rivers and Alma Jones, and
her stepfather, John Powell; she attended Forrestville
Elementary School and graduated from Jean Baptiste Pointe
DuSable High School in 1962, the first high school built for
African Americans in the City of Chicago; she then attended Los
Angeles Community College; and
WHEREAS, Sylvia Walton-Alston returned to Chicago and
spent 34 years inspiring learners and leaders; she worked as
the assistant librarian at Dunbar Vocational, Richards, and
Spaulding high schools and then spent most of her career as the
assistant librarian at DuSable High School; she retired in 2004
but continued volunteering at the school, often driving
graduating seniors to college when they had no other means of
getting there; and
WHEREAS, Sylvia Walton-Alston married and later divorced
Leo Walton and then married the love of her life, Wilmer Perry
Alston, on March 15, 1969; and

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WHEREAS, Sylvia Walton-Alston was a member of St. Elizabeth
Catholic Church, the oldest Black Catholic parish in Chicago;
she served as a member and president of the Parish Council; she
organized clothing drives and dress sales, the food pantry,
Breakfast with Santa, and the church bazaar; she became known
for arranging fundraising trips to local casinos; she led the
charge to build a new church in 1987 after the old building was
destroyed by fire in 1930 and the congregation had spent 57
years worshipping in the church's gymnasium; she was recognized
by Pope John Paul II and was named an honorary Nun of the
Blessed Sacrament; and
WHEREAS, Sylvia Walton-Alston enjoyed attending functions
with family and friends, dressing up and going out, and staying
current on the latest technology; she was a member of the
Forrestville Block Club and the Coalition to Save DuSable; she
also advocated to save St. Elizabeth Catholic School, where one
of her daughters and most of her grandchildren attended; she
was a longtime member and the corresponding secretary of the
DuSable Alumni Coalition and a top fundraiser for the United
Negro College Fund; and
WHEREAS, Sylvia Walton-Alston was preceded in death by her
parents; her stepfather; her daughter, Kellie; and her husband,
Wilmer Perry Alston; and

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WHEREAS, Sylvia Walton-Alston is survived by her sister,
Nicolette Jones-Turner; her daughters, Brandie (Earl) and
Courtney (Marvis); her stepdaughter, Wilma Theresa (Robert)
Thorn; her grandchildren, Brandon and Elizabeth Miller, Ashley
Patton, Kourtney and Dakota Alston, Alston Wilson, Shanell
McMoris, Mark Lowe, Olivia Morris, and Romel, Rashun, Cassiana,
and Ratisha Cotton; her special nieces, Divina Alston, Valerie
Hunter, and Verlane Franklin; her special nephews, Walter Lee
Turner and Emmery Burnette; her great-grandchildren, Madison
Washington and Varnell Cotton; and numerous other family
members, her neighborhood family, her DuSable family, and her
church family; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
Sylvia Dawn Jones Walton-Alston 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 Sylvia Walton-Alston as an
expression of our deepest sympathy.