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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of United States Marine Corps Captain Thomas
4John Heitmann of Mendota, who passed away on September 19,
52011; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Captain Thomas Heitmann was born on November 23,
71983; his parents are Thomas F. and Mary Therese (Leonard)
8Heitmann; he attended Holy Cross Grade School and graduated
9from St. Bede Academy in Peru in 2002; while attending St.
10Bede, he was a top student and a well-respected athlete; and
 
11    WHEREAS, After attending St. Bede Academy, Capt. Thomas
12Heitmann attended Valley Forge Military College in Wayne,
13Pennsylvania; he made Valley Forge Military College history by
14becoming the first first-year cadet to achieve the rank of
15Cadet Second Lieutenant (2LT); as 2LT, he supervised the
16development of our nation's service academy's Prepster Program
17and Valley Forge's Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Early
18Commissioning Program; he was also inducted into the Anthony
19Wayne Legion Guard prior to leaving Valley Forge; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Capt. Thomas Heitmann was accepted to
21Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach,
22Florida; he was the recipient of the National Naval Reserve

 

 

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1Officer Training Corps Marine Option Scholarship in the fall of
22006, beating out every Midshipman in the nation for the award;
3and
 
4    WHEREAS, Capt. Thomas Heitmann was commissioned as an
5officer in the United States Marine Corps in 2008; after
6completing his training at the Naval Air Stations in Corpus
7Christi, Texas, and Pensacola, Florida, he continued to be
8recognized for his academic abilities and leadership
9qualities; in 2011, he earned his wings and was assigned to fly
10the AH-1W Cobra attack helicopter at Camp Pendleton in
11California; he was assigned to Training Squadron 303, Marine
12Aircraft Group 39 of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Air
13Station Miramar in San Diego, California at the time of his
14passing; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Capt. Thomas Heitmann was preceded in death by his
16maternal grandmother; his maternal step-grandmother; his
17paternal grandfather; and his paternal step-grandfather; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Capt. Thomas Heitmann is survived by his parents,
19Tom and Mary Therese (Leonard) Heitmann; his brother, Aaron
20Heitmann; his sisters, Rachel (Dave) Christensen, Hannah
21(Matt) Pozzi, Sarah (Abe) Henkel, and Mary Elizabeth Heitmann;
22his paternal grandmother, Eleanore Sjostrom; his maternal
23grandfather, James Leonard; his nieces, Ella and Nora Henkel;

 

 

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1his nephews, Terrapin and Xavier Christensen; and his many
2aunts and uncles; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
4ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
5his family and friends, the passing of United States Marine
6Corps Captain Thomas John Heitmann; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the family of Capt. Thomas Heitmann as an
9expression of our sympathy.