RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 15, 2010
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners extending congratulations to Emmanuel Whitley Simmons in celebration of 100 years of life
Body
WHEREAS, Mr. Emmanuel Whitley Simmons was born in Marion, Arkansas, on Thursday, April 26, 1910; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel Whitley Simmons is the youngest of eighteen children born to William Louis Simmons and Annie Whitley; and
WHEREAS, in 1935, Emmanuel traveled on the old Illinois Central train to get from Memphis, Tennessee to Chicago, Illinois for $10.00 round trip; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel Whitley Simmons attended DuSable High School in Chicago, Illinois, but returned to White Haven, Tennessee to complete his high school education at Geeter High School; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel married Flora Mae Murphy (now deceased) on April 16, 1939, in Louisville, Kentucky, and to this union five children were born; Arvy (Harry), Abdullah (Andre), (Nancy), Brenda (Alfred), William (now deceased) and Ella.
WHEREAS, Emmanuel has ten grandchildren, twenty-eight great grandchildren and one great-great grandson; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel Whitley Simmons career service employment began at Hines VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois, in 1943; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel later transferred to Westside VA Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, as Nurse’s Assistant until his retirement in 1976; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel came out of retirement and worked for the Chicago Board of Education as a Janitor, being assigned to his Chicago high school, DuSable High School, where he retired in 1979; and
WHEREAS, in 1957 Emmanuel Whitley Simmons joined Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, under the pastorship of the late Reverend Lorenzo Smith, where he still serves as a Trustee; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel is a member of Mount Hebron Lodge #29, F&AM, State of Illinois, Prince Hall Affiliation, where he served as Worshipful Master for two years (1968-1969), and as Secretary for over ten years; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel Whitley Simmons is a member of the 3rd Ward Democratic Organization under former Alderman Dorothy Tillman; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel was a participant in the National Reparations Convention film “Paradox of Freedom”, an excerpt of which was shown all over the world on 60 Minutes in 2005; and
WHEREAS, Emmanuel Whitley Simmons enjoys writing poetry, singing, gardening, talking and being comical with his grandchildren.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and our staff, extend our congratulations to Emmanuel Whitley Simmons in celebration of 100 years of life; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and that a copy of same, suitably engrossed, be presented to Emmanuel Whitley Simmons.
Dated: April 15, 2010
Approved: TERRENCE J. O’BRIEN, President; KATHLEEN THERESE MEANY, Vice-President; GLORIA ALITTO MAJEWSKI, Chairman, Committee on Finance; FRANK AVILA; PATRICIA HORTON; BARBARA J. MCGOWAN; CYNTHIA M. SANTOS; DEBRA SHORE; MARIYANA T. SPYROPOULOS, Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Approved as to Form and Legality: Frederick M. Feldman, General Counsel