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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Helen Efinger Helgren of Gurnee, who
4passed away on January 8, 2011; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Helen Helgren was born on September 25, 1924, in
6Waukegan; her parents were Raymond "Doc" and Kathleen (O'Brien)
7Efinger; she married her loving husband, Preston Helgren, on
8April 11, 1953; she lived in the Waukegan area all her life;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, Helen Helgren attended Immaculate Conception and
11Holy Family Grade Schools, as well as Lake Forest High School;
12she graduated from Holy Child High School at the age of 17; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Helen Helgren attended the College of St. Theresa
14in Winona, Minnesota for one year; she subsequently earned her
15bachelor's degree in chemistry at Marquette University in 1950;
16she also earned a teaching certificate; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Helen Helgren worked at many organizations
18throughout her life; during college, she worked in the
19Disbursing Office at the Great Lakes Naval Base and in the
20analytical laboratory at Fansteel Metallurgical; after
21graduation, she began working at Abbott Laboratories, where she

 

 

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1dreamed of working as a chemist; she worked as a long-time
2substitute teacher at Gurnee Grade School, Viking Junior High,
3and Warren Township High School; she also had her own business
4making flower arrangements and other designs; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Helen Helgren was a faithful member of the St.
6Dismas Church in Waukegan, the League of Women Voters, the
7Immaculate Conception (Waukegan) Altar and Rosary Society, the
8Lake County Governmental Study Commission, the Waukegan Garden
9Club (Douglas Chapter), the Ex Libris Book Club, the Herb
10Society, the 4H Youth Council, and the Illinois Dunesland
11Preservation Society; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Helen Helgren and her husband were long-time
13faithful volunteers at the Lake County Museum and were
14instrumental in the museum's collection being transferred
15intact from private ownership to the people of Lake County; she
16worked tirelessly to bring a new library to Waukegan and to
17preserve the ravine known as Warbler Glen in Bowen Park; she
18was a member and volunteer at the American Cancer Society; she
19was a member and leader of numerous conservation projects in
20Lake County; she also had a long time interest in prairies,
21natural areas, and their conservation, leading her to do
22research on prairie seed germination methods for the Lake
23County Forest Preserve District; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Helen Helgren was well known among her peers as an
2excellent seamstress; she also enjoyed painting watercolors,
3and she was a Master Gardener; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Helen Helgren was preceded in death by her
5parents; her sisters, Catherine Dietmeyer, Rita Hyland, and
6Mary June Fizgerald; her sister-in-law, Mary Helgren Johnson;
7and her treasured niece, Susan Johnson; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Helen Helgren is survived by her husband; her son,
9Dan (Lizzy) Helgren; her step-grandchildren, Zachary, Noah,
10and Madeline Rose; her daughter, Mary Catherine Helgren
11(Richard Radek); her many nieces and nephews; and her many
12grand-nieces and grand-nephews; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
14ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
15her family and friends, the passing of Helen Efinger Helgren;
16and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Helen Helgren as an expression of
19our sympathy.