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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF ROSA J. MARTIN
WHEREAS, Rosa J. Martin (affectionately known as "Mama Rosa") of Chicago, Illinois celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by friends and family; and
WHEREAS, Rosa was born on September 18, 1915 in Carroll County, Mississippi. Her birth certificate does not indicate a particular health facility or hospital; and
WHERAS, Rosa along with two brothers and a sister were orphaned at an early age, separated out of economic necessity with she and a brother being raised by her aunt and uncle Tim and Minnie McCain in Teoc, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, Rosa was one of the first students at Mississippi Valley State College; official records of the Carroll County School Board reflect that Rosa taught in two one-room school houses, Valley View and Ware, during the early 1950's; and from 1953 to 1957 she taught at Marshall Elementary School where she had a reputation for being a strict disciplinarian. Rosa stated that failure was not an option for her, her brother and the students under her tutelage; and
WHEREAS, when she administered corporal punishment, according to her son Bennie Martin, if you were smart, it only happened once, to which he cannot bear witness, but can assure you twice was extremely convincing. She also coached the girls basketball team at the high school level; and
WHEREAS, Rosa came to Chicago in 1957 and became a licensed practical nurse at Cook County Hospital (now known as John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital); and
WHEREAS, Rosa has nine children; Charity, George, Robert, Bennie, Leona, Henry, Betty, John and Lona; twenty-three, grandchildren, twenty-nine great-grandchildren and a host of great-great grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Rosa worked as a political activist, with past Cook County Board President George Dunne, former Alderman Bill Singer, and served as an Election Judge for the Cook County Board of Elections Rosa worked as a Legal Assistant in th...
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