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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Leonard J. Rich of Bloomington, who
4passed away on February 5, 2011; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Leonard Rich was born on November 2, 1924, in
6Pontiac; his parents were Silas Henry and Esther Fern Leonard
7Rich; he married Mary Elizabeth Freed on June 22, 1947, in
8Gridley; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Leonard Rich graduated from Gridley High School in
101942; he subsequently attended Bradley University in Peoria,
11the University of Illinois in Urbana, and the University of
12Chicago before graduating from the University of
13Illinois-Chicago Dental School in 1950; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Leonard Rich served his country with pride and
15distinction as a dental officer in the United States Navy
16during the Korean War; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Leonard Rich entered private practice in 1950 in
18Gridley, working there until his retirement in 1997; he also
19served as head of the dental department for the Department of
20Corrections for the State of Illinois for 30 years; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Leonard Rich was a member of the First United
2Church of Gridley, the El Paso Lodge 246 AF & AM, the
3Bloomington Scottish Rite Bodies, the Gridley American Legion
4Post 218, and the McLean County Dental Society; he formerly
5served on the Centrillio Council of Girl Scouts as its
6fundraising chair; he was a former board member of Woodford
7County Bank and had served on the Board of Trustees of Eureka
8College; he was also a former member of the Bloomington Country
9Club and the Bob O'Link Golf Club at Highland Park; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Leonard Rich was well-known to his community and
11countless friends as "Doc Rich"; he had attained the rank of
12Eagle Scout and had served as the announcer for Gridley High
13School football games for 40 years, where he was known as Mr.
14Redskin; he was also an avid gardener and golfer; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Leonard Rich and his wife wintered in Perdido Key,
16Florida, for many years; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Leonard Rich was preceded in death by his parents;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, Leonard Rich is survived by his wife; his
20children, T.J. (Sherry) Rich, Ann Rich, and Randy "Rudy" Rich;
21his grandson, Craig Rich; his extended family; and the man he
22considered a son, Yoshiaki Ono, DDS, in Japan, who was inspired

 

 

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1to become a dentist by Doc Rich; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
3ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
4his family and friends, the passing of Leonard J. Rich; and be
5it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Leonard Rich as an expression of our
8sympathy.