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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN MEMORY OR JAMES "OLLIE" WHEELER
WHEREAS, Almighty God in His infinite wisdom has called James "Ollie" Wheeler from our midst on December 25, 2014; and
WHEREAS, James Wheeler was born in Albany, Georgia on August 28, 1937, the youngest of four children born to Albert Wheeler and Leola Johnson; and
WHEREAS, In 1959, at the age of nineteen, James Wheeler headed to Chicago to join his older brother, Golden Wheeler, who played the harmonica throughout the blues community; and
WHEREAS, James Wheeler found love and wed his sweetheart, Ida Terry, in 1959 and started a family; and
WHEREAS, James Wheeler was the loving father of Milton Terry (Lavonzell) and Tammy Wheeler; and
WHEREAS, James Wheeler formed his own blues band, "The Jaguars" in 1963 and played at clubs throughout the City of Chicago until 1972; and
WHEREAS, James Wheeler played alongside some of the greats, such as McKinley Mitchell, B.B. King, Esther Phillips, Otis Rush, Millie Jackson, Etta James, Al Green, Johnny Taylor, The Chi-Lites, and O.V. Wright; and
WHEREAS, James Wheeler played at Rosa's Lounge and in other venues around the City of Chicago and abroad, imparting his unyielding passion for blues at every show; and
WHEREAS, James Wheeler is a Chicago blues legend that will forever be celebrated and will be missed by his fans, mentors, and band members alike in the blues community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of Cook County that the Board does hereby offer its deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathy to the family and many friends of James "Ollie" Wheeler, and joins them in sorrow at this time of loss; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body and a suitable copy of same be tendered to the family of James "Ollie" Wheeler.
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