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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate were saddened
3 to learn of the death of Joseph "Joe" Agrella, a sports
4 reporter, handicapper, and horse racing writer who spent more
5 than 40 years at the Chicago Sun-Times and its predecessor
6 newspapers; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Joe Agrella was born in a mountain village outside
8 of Naples, Italy, and, when he was a child, he and his family
9 moved to Michigan's Upper Peninsula; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Joe Agrella's journalism career began in 1931
11 when, after graduating from high school, he moved to Chicago
12 and began work as a copy boy for the Chicago Daily Times, which
13 later merged with the Chicago Sun; and
 
14     WHEREAS, During World War II, Joe Agrella served as a
15 member of the United States Navy; and
 
16     WHEREAS, As a reporter, Joe Agrella covered many sports,
17 ranging from fishing to professional football, but he soon
18 became known for his expertise in horse racing; he covered
19 Chicago's thoroughbred tracks on a daily basis as well as
20 covering such races as the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and
21 the Belmont Stakes; and
 
22     WHEREAS, Despite a personal rule never to bet on a horse
23 himself, Joe Agrella (under his own name and, often, under the
24 pen name, Bud Doble) advised several generations of readers on
25 the art of picking winning horses; and
 
26     WHEREAS, Joe Agrella retired from the Chicago Sun-Times in
27 1978, but he continued writing and handicapping for a national
28 turf magazine until 1994, and he worked as a Chicago racing
29 stringer for the Associated press; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, The death of Joe Agrella will be deeply felt by
2 those who knew and loved him; he was the beloved husband of
3 Jane Kerwin Agrella; the loving father of Joan (the late
4 Brewster) Parker, Gail (William) Dolan, Pamela (Gabriel)
5 Fernandez, and Candace (Manuel) Martinez; the devoted
6 grandfather of Colleen (Douglas) Smith, Jonathan (Tierney
7 Hunt) Parker, Christopher (Amanda Ripp) Parker, Patrick
8 (Donna) Dolan, Sarah Jane Dolan, Andrew Fernandez, and
9 Emmanuela Joan Martinez; the great-grandfather of 5; the dear
10 brother of Mary Agrella Newsome, Don and Chris Agrella, and
11 Helen Agrella Graetz and the late Americo and Loretta Agrella;
12 the fond uncle of many; and the devoted son of the late
13 Giuseppe and Carmela Agrella; therefore, be it
 
14     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
15 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we express our sorrow
16 at the passing of Joseph "Joe" Agrella, and we offer our
17 heartfelt sympathy to his many family and friends; and be it
18 further
 
19     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20 presented to his family with our sincere condolences.