SR0751 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0751 LRB097 21403 KXB 69386 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Joan Johnson-Blackwell of Lewistown, who passed away on April 2, 2012; and

WHEREAS, She was born January 3, 1944, to John Sprague Stout and Nancy Jane Halstead Stout in Springfield; at a young age, she became attracted to poetry by Edgar Guest and the Edgar Lee Masters poem "Anne Rutledge"; and

WHEREAS, She graduated from Glenwood High School in Chatham and from Western Illinois University in Macomb; she married Randle Ray Johnson on November 7, 1964, in Chatham; he passed away on June 22, 1986; she then married Robert B. Blackwell on September 1, 1989, in Lewistown; and

WHEREAS, She taught gifted classes at Lewistown McNally School and she taught English, speech, and drama at Lewistown Community High School; and

WHEREAS, She devoted her life to culture and tourism in Fulton County; she helped to organize the Fulton County Tourism Council and served 8 years as its secretary and then president; she was one of the driving forces behind the Spoon River Drive, helping organize and promote its activities; and

WHEREAS, She enjoyed being a producer and reader for local performances of Masters poetry at Oak Hill Cemetery on Masters Day for 21 years and the Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive for over 20 years; she wrote poetry and free-lance feature articles especially on history, travel, collectibles, and Spoon River Scenic Drive folks and events; she was a publicist for Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive Associates for nearly 28 years; and

WHEREAS, She enjoyed writing and taking photos for the Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive program books, cookbooks, and publicity; she served several terms as a director for the Fulton County Arts Council and volunteered at the Fulton-Mason Crisis Center and the Lewistown Food Pantry; and

WHEREAS, She was a member of the Lewistown United Methodist Church, where she served as a Sunday School teacher, United Methodist lay speaker, historian, Ruth Circle member, and chairperson for the church's 175th anniversary; she also enjoyed reading, sewing, antiques, and traveling; and

WHEREAS, She worked as a real estate broker/appraiser since 1975; she served as an officer of the Fulton County Board of Realtors and MLS and as a real estate instructor; she and her first husband formed Farm & Home Realty of Lewistown in 1975 and were members of the Lewistown Chamber of Commerce; she used her appraisal experience and medical training as an Illinois disability adjudicator in Springfield; and

WHEREAS, She was a past member of the Spoon River Professional Women and the Lewistown Eastern Star; she helped to organize the Spoon River Writer's Guild in 1970s; in retirement, she added a new circle of poet-friends in the Peoria Poetry Club and served as its president since 2006; and

WHEREAS, Joan Johnson-Blackwell is survived by her husband, Robert; her sisters, Phyllis Stout, Melissa Stout, and Janifer Day; her daughter, Jo Ellen Johnson; her son, Andrewe William (Stephanie) Johnson; her stepsons, Steve (Pam) Blackwell and Barry (Terresa) Blackwell; her grandchildren, Riley and Morgan Johnson; her grandcats, Big Ed, Shadow, Moonlight, and Culver; her step-grandchildren, Cara and Christopher Blackwell, Megan Blackwell, and Rob Blackwell; and several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Joan-Johnson-Blackwell; we celebrate her love of life and her boundless energy and enthusiasm; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Joan Johnson-Blackwell as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.