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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of former
4Illinois State University President Lloyd Watkins, who passed
5away on March 1, 2012; he served as the University's 13th
6president from 1977 to 1988; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Lloyd Watkins was not only a leader at Illinois
8State University; he looked beyond the campus and was a leader
9who made a difference in his community; during his presidency,
10the University became the State headquarters of the Illinois
11Special Olympics, attracting thousands of visitors to campus
12each summer; and
 
13    WHEREAS, He served on numerous community and university
14boards, including Normal's 2015 Committee, and helped small
15businesses as a member of the Service Corps of Retired
16Executives; and
 
17    WHEREAS, He focused on expanding international education
18programs by creating exchanges with student centers in Austria,
19France, England, Japan, China, Scotland, Germany, Italy, and
20Spain; and
 
21    WHEREAS, He tirelessly advocated for Illinois State

 

 

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1University, worked to overcome a budget crisis in the early
21980s by launching a long-range planning effort, and put great
3emphasis on obtaining grants and donations from the private
4sector, a move his successors have continued to build upon; and
 
5    WHEREAS, During his tenure, he presided over numerous
6capital improvement projects on campus including the
7multimillion-dollar Redbird Arena; he launched 5 new academic
8programs, including international business, public relations,
9writing, applied computer sciences, and school psychology, and
10also expanded the Honors program; and
 
11    WHEREAS, After serving 11 years as President of Illinois
12State University, he retired in 1988; he continued to benefit
13the University community by sharing his passion for learning by
14teaching in the Communications Department until 1991; and
 
15    WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman
16and Lydia; and his first wife, Mary Ellen (Caudle) Watkins; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Lloyd Watkins is survived by his wife, Kay; his
18sons, John L. Watkins (Margaret), Joseph W. Watkins (Michelle),
19and Robert L. Watkins (Charmelle); his grandchildren, Ryan,
20Reid, and Mariana Watkins and Lucas, Ehren, and Emma Watkins;
21his step-children, Eric D. Bloomquist, Darin L. Bloomquist, and
22Ellen K. Elliot; and his step-granddaughter, Faith A. Elliot;

 

 

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1therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4we mourn, along with his family, friends, and former students,
5the passing of Lloyd Watkins; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Lloyd Watkins as a symbol of our
8sincere sympathy.