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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of O.C. "Dixie" O'Hara of Woodstock, who
4 passed away on October 2, 2009; and
 
5     WHEREAS, He was born July 6, 1918, in Princeton, Kentucky,
6 to Fred and Mildred (Martin) O'Hara; in 1937, he graduated from
7 Dixon High School, which is where he got the nickname, "Dixie";
8 he married Evelyn B. O'Hara (Eisenberg) on August 23, 1941; in
9 1942, he graduated from Northern Illinois State Teachers
10 College (now Northern Illinois University), where he earned
11 varsity letters in football; his son, daughter, son-in-law, and
12 a granddaughter and her husband, all graduated from Northern
13 Illinois University, which became a family meeting ground for
14 sporting events; he also received his master's degree in school
15 administration from the University of Illinois in 1949; and
 
16     WHEREAS, After serving in the United States Army, he
17 returned to teaching and coaching; he spent 29 years at
18 Woodstock High School, coaching six sports and serving as
19 athletic director, dean of boys, and assistant principal; he
20 left Woodstock High School in 1975 to be assistant regional
21 superintendent of schools for McHenry County; in 1983, he was
22 elected superintendent of schools for McHenry County until he
23 retired in 1987; in 1988, he was elected to the McHenry County

 

 

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1 Board, where he served for four years; at age 74, he became
2 Marian Central High School's golf coach until 1999; and
 
3     WHEREAS, On August 12, 2001, he married Josie Pace of
4 McHenry and had another eight years of love and companionship;
5 shortly thereafter, they moved to Sun City in Huntley; and
 
6     WHEREAS, His passion for golf was endless, serving as golf
7 coach at two high schools for more than 20 years; he was a
8 longtime member of Woodstock Country Club and was elected board
9 president in 1963; he also served as ranger/starter at Crystal
10 Woods, Marengo Ridge, and Whisper Creek golf courses; and
 
11     WHEREAS, He served as Republican precinct committeeman for
12 38 years, ran the McHenry County Republican Play Day for 37
13 years, and was inducted into the McHenry County Republican
14 Party Hall of Fame in 1998; he also was a member of the
15 Presidential Electoral College in 1980 and cast one of the 26
16 Illinois votes for Ronald Reagan; and
 
17     WHEREAS, He always was involved in community activities in
18 Woodstock; he was a past commander of the American Legion and
19 served as the American Legion Boy's State chairman of school
20 awards for 45 years, chairman of Elks youth activities for six
21 years, organized the Woodstock American Cancer Society in 1987,
22 was a Youth Service Board member for three years, and was

 

 

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1 involved in Woodstock Summer Recreation program, Cub Scouts,
2 and Little League; and
 
3     WHEREAS, His number one passion was the Woodstock Lions
4 Club; he was secretary for 37 years and also a past president;
5 he was the Lions Club Citizen of the Year in 1989 and earned
6 the International Lions Club Key Award, which is the club's
7 highest honor for recruiting new members, ranking him in the
8 top 25 in the world; after moving to Huntley, he was president
9 of the Sun City Lions Club; and
 
10     WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; his
11 sister, Carrie Jane; his brother, Jack; and his first wife,
12 Evelyn; and
 
13     WHEREAS, O.C. O'Hara is survived by his wife, Josie; his
14 daughter, Judith (Thomas) Dowling; his son, David (Joey)
15 O'Hara; his four granddaughters, Susan (David) Messmann, Megan
16 (Jim) Zemanek, Lauren (Tom) Jenrette, and Courtney O'Hara; his
17 four great-grandchildren, McKenzie, Landon, McKayla, and
18 McKenna; and several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
19     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
20 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
21 his family and friends, the passing of O.C. O'Hara; and be it
22 further
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2 presented to the family of O.C. "Dixie" O'Hara as a symbol of
3 our sincere sympathy.