Bill Text: IL SR1557 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourns the death of Taft Rosco Gilliam.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-01-13 - Resolution Adopted [SR1557 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2019-SR1557-Introduced.html
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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | ||||||
3 | learn of the death of Taft Rosco Gilliam, who passed away on | ||||||
4 | December 3, 2020; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam was born in Bellefonte, Virginia to | ||||||
6 | Marvin Taft and Emma Mae Gilliam (Winston) on November 1, 1937; | ||||||
7 | he graduated from Virginia State University with a Bachelor of | ||||||
8 | Science in Systems Management in 1959; he was a proud member of | ||||||
9 | Omega Psi Phi fraternity; he joined the U.S. Army on April 5, | ||||||
10 | 1960 and married Theola "Pixie" Rainey on May 26, 1962; and
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11 | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam spent 27 years in the United States | ||||||
12 | Army, achieving the rank of Colonel; his career took him to | ||||||
13 | numerous other countries, including deployments to Taiwan, | ||||||
14 | Luxembourg, Vietnam, Korea, and West Germany; his domestic | ||||||
15 | assignments included time in California, New Mexico, | ||||||
16 | Wisconsin, Illinois, and Alabama; while serving his country, he | ||||||
17 | earned a Master of Science in Systems Management from the | ||||||
18 | University of Southern California in 1977 and various diplomas | ||||||
19 | from the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army Command and | ||||||
20 | General Staff College, and more; he retired from the U.S. Army | ||||||
21 | on August 31, 1987; and
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22 | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam received numerous medals and |
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1 | commendations, including the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit | ||||||
2 | Citation with Palm, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam | ||||||
3 | Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense | ||||||
4 | Service Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation Bronze Star | ||||||
5 | Medal with 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, the Joint Service Commendation | ||||||
6 | Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army | ||||||
7 | Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with 1st Oak | ||||||
8 | Leaf Cluster, and the Legion of Merit; and
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9 | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam's pastimes included golfing, | ||||||
10 | reading, visiting museums, and fussing at the news; he also | ||||||
11 | mastered the art of masonry; upon retirement, he and his wife | ||||||
12 | became the custodians of three of their grandchildren; he will | ||||||
13 | be most remembered for his courage, his integrity, and his love | ||||||
14 | of country; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam was preceded in death by his wife of | ||||||
16 | 58 years, Pixie; his parents; and his siblings, Willy Gilliam, | ||||||
17 | Lucy Wells, Frances Procise, Barbara Tucker, Daniel Gilliam, | ||||||
18 | and Abraham Gilliam; and
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19 | WHEREAS, Taft Gilliam is survived by his children, Michael | ||||||
20 | "MBG" Gilliam, Sean "Flipper" (Michelle) Gilliam, and | ||||||
21 | Christianne "Christi Maria-a-a" Gilliam; his siblings, Helen | ||||||
22 | Dabney, Andrew (Sherry) Gilliam, Haywood (Audrey) Gilliam, | ||||||
23 | Gloria (Herbert) Crossland, and Barry (Shirley) Gilliam; his |
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1 | sisters-in-law, Dr. Averill Maxine Pritchett and Myrtle | ||||||
2 | Bastien; his grandchildren, Isis Randall, Isaiah Randall, | ||||||
3 | Isadora Randall, Mikayla Gilliam, Aiden Gilliam, and Isabella | ||||||
4 | Lee; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; | ||||||
5 | therefore, be it
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6 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | ||||||
7 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
8 | Taft Rosco Gilliam and extend our sincere condolences to his | ||||||
9 | family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | ||||||
10 | further
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11 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
12 | presented to the family of Taft Gilliam as an expression of our | ||||||
13 | deepest sympathy.
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