SR0356LRB100 12147 MST 24484 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of former Illinois State Senator Joyce M.
4Holmberg of Rockford, who passed away on March 20, 2017; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Senator Holmberg was born in Rockford to Hartley
6and Lillian (Oberg) Lundee on July 19, 1930; she graduated from
7East High School and earned her Bachelor of Science in
8Education, with highest honors, at Northern Illinois
9University; she went on to do graduate work at Rockford College
10before completing her master's degree in counseling psychology
11at the Adler School of Professional Psychology, which later
12honored her with a Distinguished Alumna Award; she married
13Eugene Holmberg on April 12, 1952; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Senator Holmberg began her career as a teacher in
15the Rockford Public Schools; she later worked as the community
16relations director for the Teacher Development Center and
17became the parent community coordinator for the Rockford Public
18Schools, hosting a weekly cable television show focused on
19parenting; she also served as an instructor at Rock Valley
20College; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Senator Holmberg was elected to the Illinois State
22Senate for the 34th District in 1982 and served for 10 years,

 

 

SR0356- 2 -LRB100 12147 MST 24484 r

1where she earned a reputation as a staunch and effective
2advocate for Illinois public education; she led passage of tax
3amnesty legislation that generated $164 million for education
4and local governments; she created the Illinois College Savings
5Bond program and secured State funding for the Northern
6Illinois University campus in Rockford; she was a strong
7supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment; her work in
8Springfield was recognized by awards from numerous
9organizations in Rockford and throughout Illinois; she enjoyed
10the support of many friends and constituents from both sides of
11the aisle who helped to make her successful throughout her
12political career; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Senator Holmberg was the Director of the League of
14Women Voters of Illinois; she was a member of the Rockford
15League of Women Voters, a member of the State of Illinois and
16the Rockford American Association of University Women
17Education Committees, a member of the Rockford YMCA board, a
18founding member of the Rockford Network, and a board member at
19the Swedish Historical Society; she was on the boards of the
20Adler School of Professional Psychology and Northern Illinois
21University Law School; she was a volunteer for many political
22campaigns and referenda and was a delegate to the Democratic
23National Convention in 1984, 1992, and 1996; and
 
24    WHEREAS, Senator Holmberg and her husband had a summer home

 

 

SR0356- 3 -LRB100 12147 MST 24484 r

1for many years in Cambridge, Wisconsin, where they were members
2of the Lake Ripley Country Club; she loved playing golf both in
3Wisconsin with the family and at Sandy Hollow Course in
4Rockford with the ladies group; she and her husband co-founded
5an international dinner club that rotated every two months to
6another house to experience the cuisine of a new country; they
7loved to travel, starting with a cross-Europe trip in 1954;
8when their children were young, most of their trips were
9camping across the United States, but later they travelled
10internationally including Mexico, Jamaica, many more trips to
11Europe, and annual spring trips to Destin, Florida for golfing;
12and
 
13    WHEREAS, Senator Holmberg was known for her colorful,
14stylish clothes; she and her husband loved to go to the theater
15and looked for any chance to dress up for a party and go
16dancing; she loved bringing the family together to celebrate
17family traditions; she enjoyed spending time with her
18grandchildren and was always up for a game of cards or
19charades; many memories were made with their close-knit group
20of neighbors with whom they shared many New Year's Eve parties
21and birthday parties; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Senator Holmberg was a member of St. Mark Lutheran
23Church and a past member of Zion Lutheran Church, where she was
24involved in the Mr. and Mrs. Group; she enjoyed reading all

 

 

SR0356- 4 -LRB100 12147 MST 24484 r

1manner of books, especially when it came to reading selections
2for her book club; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Senator Holmberg was preceded in death by her son,
4Todd Holmberg; after his passing, she and her husband created
5an award at East High School in his memory and founded Bereaved
6Parents of Rockford (a chapter of Compassionate Friends), which
7they co-chaired for several years; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Senator Holmberg is survived by her husband,
9Eugene; her daughters, Gail Holmberg (Henri Gillet), and Polly
10(Charlie) Haller; her grandchildren, Victoria and Maia Gillet,
11and Dillon and Wyatt Haller; her sister, Phyllis (Keith)
12Carriere; her sister-in-law, Janet Jegen; and many nieces,
13nephews, and cousins; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
15ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
16former Illinois State Senator Joyce M. Holmberg, and extend our
17sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew
18and loved her; and be it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to the family of Senator Holmberg as an expression of
21our deepest sympathy.