IL SR0607

Illinois Senate memorial resolution honoring Reverend Janis Arlene Sharpe, who passed away on January 8, 2026, at age 89

Rev. Sharpe was born in Chicago on April 11, 1936, raised on the South Side, and earned master's degrees in Christian Education and Divinity from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Served as an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, co-founded St. Mark AME Church on Chicago's West Side, and directed the Sojourner Truth Learning Center providing childcare and educational support

Held leadership positions in Chicago government during Mayor Richard M. Daley's administrations, including service on the Chicago Board of Education and as a pension trustee

Also contributed to the arts as a playwright, producer, and choir director with original productions performed across Chicago sanctuaries