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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Lawrence Alan Gregory, formerly of
4 Naperville, who passed away on May 6, 2009; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory was born in 1928; he was the
6 youngest of six children born to Harry and Gretchen Gregory; he
7 lived on the family farm, which is now home to the Fox Valley
8 Shopping Center; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory graduated from Naperville High
10 School in 1947; he attended the University of Illinois for one
11 semester before deciding to transfer to North Central College,
12 where he continued to have ties for many years; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory met Charmaine Cakora at the local
14 roller skating rink; the pair married in 1952; in 1954, he
15 decided to leave farming and open up his own electrical
16 contracting company, Gregory Electric, Inc.; under the company
17 motto of "Let Larry light it", Gregory Electric, Inc.
18 flourished, employing over 100 employees at one point; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory enjoyed farming and all the hard
20 work and challenges it presented; he also enjoyed electrical
21 projects, eventually wiring his first home at age 16; he was

 

 

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1 also an active member of 4-H and was once selected to attend
2 the 4-H National Congress; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory served as a volunteer for
4 countless community projects and service organizations,
5 including the Board of Trustees at Edward Hospital, North
6 Central College, and Grace United Methodist Church; he served
7 as president of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, a
8 member of the Naperville Planning Commission, and a member of
9 the Naperville Zoning Board of Appeals; he served on the
10 Naperville Riverwalk Commission and coordinated various stages
11 of the riverwalk's construction; he served as President of the
12 Rotary Club of Naperville and served on the board of the
13 Wheatland Plowing Match Association; he also served on the
14 Naperville YMCA Board of Directors; he especially enjoyed
15 getting involved in "hands on" projects such as the Riverwalk,
16 Safety Town, the construction of Grace UMC, and the North
17 Central College athletic facility; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory was recognized as a
19 distinguished alumnus from the NHS Class of '47; he was
20 inducted into the Hall of Fame at North Central College and
21 received their outstanding alumnus award in 1977; in 2005, he
22 was selected to receive the Life Achievement Award by the
23 Jaycees and was honored by being named one of Naperville's 25
24 Most Influential People; due to his contributions and

 

 

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1 leadership in building the outdoor athletic facility, Mr.
2 Gregory and his wife were both honored by North Central College
3 with the dedication of the Gregory Arena in the Merner Field
4 House; and
 
5     WHEREAS, In his spare time, Lawrence Gregory enjoyed the
6 sport of water skiing; his talent led him to teach hundreds of
7 his friends and relatives to ski and love the sport as he did;
8 and
 
9     WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory is survived by his wife,
10 Charmaine; his children, Michael (Diane) Gregory, Dean (Sindy)
11 Gregory, Jeffrey Gregory of, and Pamela (Allen) Carius; and his
12 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
14 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
15 his family and friends, the passing of Lawrence Alan Gregory;
16 and be it further
 
17     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18 presented to the family of Lawrence Gregory as an expression of
19 our sympathy.