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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 Eugene
4Polley; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Eugene Polley is best-known for his innovation in
6the creation of the first wireless television remote; the
7device began as a luxury, but with the introduction of hundreds
8of channels and viewing technologies, it has become a universal
9necessity; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Eugene Polley was born November 29, 2015, in
11Chicago; he was a longtime resident of Lombard and had lived
12most recently in Glen Ellyn, before his passing at the age of
1396 on May 20, 2012; and
 
14    WHEREAS, At the age of 20, Eugene Polley joined the Zenith
15Radio Company as a stock boy earning 40 cents an hour; he
16studied at the City Colleges of Chicago and the Armour
17Institute of Technology, but lacked the money to complete a
18degree; still, he excelled mechanically and worked his way into
19the engineering department at Zenith; in 1955, he invented the
20Flash-Matic, which used visible light to remotely control a
21television; the device could turn the set on and off and change
22the channel; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, During Eugene Polley's 47-year career as an
2engineer, he not only forever altered the way consumers view
3television, but also worked for the United States military and
4the Department of War during World War II to develop bomb fuses
5and ship-detecting radar; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Eugene Polley and Robert Adler shared the
71996-1997 Technology and Engineering Emmy Award for
8"Pioneering Development of Wireless Remote Control for
9Consumer Television"; in 2009, Mr. Polley earned the IEEE
10Consumer Electronics Award "for contributions to the
11technology of the wireless remote control for television and
12other consumer electronic products"; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Eugene Polley is survived by his son, Eugene Jr.,
14and his grandson; he was preceded in death by his wife, the
15former Blanche Wiley, and his daughter, Joan Polley; therefore,
16be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19we mourn the passing of Eugene Polley and recognize his
20extensive technological contributions; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

 

 

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1presented to the family of Eugene Polley as a symbol of our
2esteem and respect for this great man.