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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Gene Franklin Smedley, of Bloomington,
4who passed away on August 9, 2017; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Gene Smedley was born in Waverly to Roscoe B. and
6Mae (Lucas) Smedley on February 21, 1921; he graduated from
7Pekin High School; he received a bachelor's degree in history
8from Illinois College; he proudly served in the United States
9Navy during World War II as a commander of a supply ship; upon
10his discharge from the Navy, he earned a Master of Science in
11Journalism from Columbia University; he married Eileen McCann
12on December 19, 1945; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Gene Smedley began working for The Daily
14Pantagraph in Bloomington in 1948; he covered the Illinois
15General Assembly and was eventually promoted to the position of
16managing editor, from which he retired in 1982; he won numerous
17awards from the Associated Press and the United Press
18International; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Gene Smedley loved singing; he participated in the
20SPEBSQSA Barbershop Quartet and Chorus in Bloomington; his
21quartet won an international award in California in the 1950s;
22he could always be heard singing to his family and friends; his

 

 

SR0871- 2 -LRB100 13871 ALS 28597 r

1passion was traveling the world every chance he got; he was a
2longtime Chicago Cubs fan and was overjoyed when they won the
3World Series; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Gene Smedley was preceded in death by his wife;
5his parents; and his six siblings, Glenn, Merle, Delmar, Ted,
6Betty, and Helen; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Gene Smedley is survived by his children, Michael
8James (Leona) Smedley and Mary Ann (Ron) Dillman; his
9grandchildren, Todd Smedley, Makayla Smedley, and Erik
10Dillman; his great-grandchildren, Carmen Dillman and Connor
11Dillman; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
14Gene Franklin Smedley, and extend our sincere condolences to
15his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
16further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Gene Smedley as an expression of our
19deepest sympathy.