IL HR1458

Illinois House of Representatives mourns the death of William "Bill" Garth Sr., who passed away on September 23, 2016.

Garth was born December 14, 1937, in Alabama and moved to Chicago where he became an advertising salesman, eventually purchasing the Chicago Citizen newspaper and making it the largest black-owned ABC audited newspaper in the Midwest.

Established the Quentis B. Foundation in memory of his late son, which provided $1 million in scholarship awards to inner city youth, and led the Chatham Business Association.

Served as Region III Advertising Representative and former President of the Midwest Region of the National Newspaper Publishers Association; was the first African American elected President of the Illinois Press Association; and served on the Cook County Publishers Association as stockholder and Chairman.

Survived by his wife Brenda Mathis, children Darrell and Janice, six step-children, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and siblings.