title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING AND RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF SHIRLEY J. NEWSOME
WHEREAS, Shirley was born on Wednesday, August 15, 1945, to Reverend Charlie Murray Sr. and Blancy Lillie Strong of New Galilee Missionary Baptist Church; and
WHEREAS, Shirley extensively studied at the Chicago Baptist Institute from 1974 to 1976, then the Moody Bible Institute from 1976 to 1979; and
WHEREAS, Shirley joined Monumental Baptist Church in 1979 soon after moving to the Oakland neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Shirley began a life of service to her community in 1981 by helping to form the Lake Park-Berkeley-Ellis-Drexel Block Club Association; and
WHEREAS, Shirley was committed to an increased quality of life for residents of the Southeast Side with dozens of volunteer positions presiding over the area; and
WHEREAS, Shirley was a community representative for five Chicago Housing Authority working groups and sat on the advisory council of three local parks; and
WHEREAS, Shirley served as a member on sixteen local advisory committees and commissions, including the South East Chicago Commission and the Quad Communities Development Corporation; and
WHEREAS, Shirley retired after a storied career across the United States government as a court stenographer and legal secretary, and
WHEREAS, Shirley brought her professional skills to her organizing work to help efficiently document the efforts and agendas of initiatives throughout her community; and
WHEREAS, Shirley served as a trusted advisor to Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Commissioner Bill Lowry and countless other public officials; and
WHEREAS, After a passionate life of selfless work for her community, Shirley J. Newsome served four months as the Interim Alderman of the Fourth Ward of the City of Chicago, appointed by the vacating alderman, then-newly elected Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle; and
WHEREAS, Shirley J. Newsome passed on from this life on Sunday, December 25, 2022; and
WHEREAS, Shirley was a loving wife to Howard Newsome and mother to Glenn M. Murray; and
WHEREAS, Shirley leaves behind her brother, sister, grand-daughter, three great-grandchildren, numerous other family members, her church family, and the community to mourn her loss; and
WHEREAS, Shirley’s constant dedication to the development of her community left an endearing impact on the Southeast Side of Chicago and beyond; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF COOK COUNTY, the President and its members do hereby extend their gratitude for the fruitful and blessed activism of Shirley J. Newsome as they offer their deepest condolences to her friends, family, and communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Shirley J. Newsome as an honorable expression of appreciation for her life and work
end