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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Richard "Dick" Locher of Naperville, who
4passed away on August 6, 2017; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Richard Locher was born in Dubuque, Iowa to Joseph
6J. D.D.S. and Lucille (Jungk) Locher on June 4, 1929; he
7studied at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, the University of
8Iowa, and the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena,
9California; he graduated with honors from The Chicago Academy
10of Fine Arts; he served two years on active duty with the
11United States Air Force during the Korean War, followed by
12another 18 years in the Air Force Reserve; he was honorably
13discharged as a captain; he married Mary Cosgrove at St. Mary's
14Catholic Church in Dubuque on June 15, 1957; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Richard Locher began his career as a commercial
16artist in Chicago; he founded and was president of Novamark, an
17art studio in Oak Brook; in 1973, he became a political
18cartoonist for the Chicago Tribune/Tribune Media Services, and
19his nationally-syndicated, award-winning cartoons covered
20national and local political events; he won the Pulitzer Prize
21for Editorial Cartooning in 1983 for work that weighed in on
22home computers, The Middle East, and on President Ronald
23Reagan, with whom he once dined in the Oval Office; for over 30

 

 

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1years, he was also the artist behind the Dick Tracy comic strip
2created by Chester Gould; eventually, he worked as both artist
3and writer for the comic; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Richard Locher served on the board of trustees for
5Benedictine University in Lisle and received honorary
6doctorates from both Loras College and Benedictine University;
7he also won numerous awards, including the FBI National Academy
8Associates of Illinois Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award,
9the National Cartoonist Society Silver T-Square Award, The
10Peter Lisagor Award, the U.S. Industrial Council's Dragon
11Slayer Award, and the Overseas Press Club - Thomas Nast Award;
12and
 
13    WHEREAS, Richard Locher was a painter and sculptor; he
14designed the model for the nearly 9-foot-tall statue of Dick
15Tracy erected in Naperville and also helped select its
16Riverwalk location; he designed a sculpture of Naperville
17founder, Joseph Naper, which stands at the site of Naper's
18homestead; he also designed the Land of Lincoln Trophy, modeled
19after Abraham Lincoln's hat, which has been awarded each year
20since 2009 to the winner of the college football game between
21Northwestern University and the University of Illinois; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Richard Locher was a devoted father, grandfather,
23and great-grandfather; it was common to find the grandkids

 

 

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1sitting on his lap in front of his drawing board "helping" Papa
2draw; he also cherished his time with family and friends in the
3Boundary Waters Canoe Area, watching the sunsets, telling
4campfire stories, and listening to the loons; a Nut Goodie
5candy bar always seemed to be within his reach on these trips;
6he was most happy, though, when sharing stories and tales of
7his life; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Richard Locher and Mary had been members of Saints
9Peter & Paul Catholic Church since 1969; they were also
10founding members of the St. Thomas the Apostle Church, where
11Richard served on the building committee; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Richard Locher was preceded in death by his son,
13John Locher; his parents; his brother, Joseph C. Locher D.D.S.;
14his sister-in-law, Joan Monica Locher; his brother-in-law,
15Thomas Cosgrove; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Richard Locher is survived by his wife of 60
17years, Mary; his son, Stephen (Sandra) Locher M.D.; his
18daughter, Jana (Terry) Evans; his grandchildren, Michael,
19Alex, and Julianne Locher and Stephenie and Mary Ritter; and
20his great-grandson, Matthew Drury; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
22ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of

 

 

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1Richard E. "Dick" Locher, and extend our sincere condolences to
2his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
3further
 
4    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
5presented to the family of Richard Locher as an expression of
6our deepest sympathy.