HR0762 LRB093 21598 KEF 49001 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives were saddened to learn of the death of Robert
4 J. "Pud" Williams; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Robert Williams was born on June 21, 1926 in
6 Centerville to Robert P. Williams and Mamie O. (Vaught)
7 Williams; and
 
8     WHEREAS, He attended high school in Carmi and went to
9 college at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and
10 Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Mr. Williams served in the United States Navy
12 Seabees and served in Japan during World War II; he married
13 Dorothy Givens in 1952; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Mr. Williams was the Illinois Director of
15 Agriculture from 1972-1976; during his service, he reduced the
16 Department from 11 operating departments to 4 and eliminated
17 duplication of services and saved man-hours, dollars, and
18 created improved efficiency; and
 
19     WHEREAS, He worked with handicapped through his wife
20 Dorothy and Roberta Walker to make the State Fairgrounds
21 handicap accessible and was also instrumental in opening a 24
22 hour diagnostic lab at the University of Illinois to be open
23 365 days a year; and
 
24     WHEREAS, He served as Burnt Prairie Township Supervisor in
25 White County from 1958 to 1972; in addition, he served on the
26 Board of Supervisors for White County and was Chairman of the
27 Board at one time; and
 
28     WHEREAS, Mr. Williams was instrumental in obtaining the

 

 

HR0762 - 2 - LRB093 21598 KEF 49001 r

1 Centerville blacktop to provide rural people easy access to
2 Carmi; he was on the Wabash Valley Interstate Commission which
3 promoted traffic between Indiana and Illinois on the Wabash
4 River; he also served on the Egyptian Health Department Board;
5 and
 
6     WHEREAS, Mr. Williams was an entrepreneur and founded and
7 owned Pundrake Petroleum Products in Carmi; he also owned and
8 operated Pud Williams Farms in White County and Williams Grain
9 Co. in Golden Gate; in addition, he developed IAP, Illinois
10 Agriculture Product Trademark, a tool designed to promote and
11 develop markets from Illinois Agriculture; with its logo it
12 gives identity to the State's leading industry which is
13 Agriculture; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The passing of Robert J. "Pud" Williams will be
15 deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Dorothy; his daughter
16 and son-in-law, Nancy and Ray Mitchell; his son and
17 daughter-in-law, Kevin and Eileen Norton-Williams; his two
18 granddaughters, Katherine Grace and Caroline Rose
19 Norton-Williams; and his brother and sister-in-law, Larry and
20 Judy Williams; therefore, be it
 
21     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
22 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
23 mourn the passing of Robert J. "Pud" Williams along with all
24 who knew and loved him and extend our sincere condolences to
25 his family and friends; and be it further
 
26     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
27 presented to the family of Robert J. "Pud" Williams as an
28 expression of our deepest sympathy.