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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 E. Leslie
4"Les" Conkling of Kempton, who passed away on September 16,
52014; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Les Conkling was born in Princeton on December 20,
71931 to Howard and Elna Mae (nee Sparling) Conkling; he
8graduated in 1949 from Princeton High School; he received his
9Associate's Degree from Ogelsby Junior College and his Bachelor
10Degree in Teacher Education from Northern Illinois University;
11he did his post-graduate work at Indiana University and
12Louisiana Tech University and received his Master of Education
13from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana; he married
14Sandra J. Jacobs on June 6, 1956 in Dekalb; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Les Conkling was a teacher, coach, and principal
16for the Kempton-Cabery and Tri-Point School district for 30
17years, retiring in May of 1990; he coached high school football
18at Kempton-Cabery High School and was the first high school
19football coach and principal for the newly consolidated
20Tri-Point High School in 1969; he coached basketball, track,
21and baseball for Tri-Point Schools; he was also a coach for
22Kempton-Cabery Little League baseball and led the
23Kempton-Cabery Colts Summer League Baseball Team to multiple

 

 

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1championships; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Les Conkling was very active with the Republican
3Party; he was the Ford County Republican Precinct Committeeman
4of Mona Township from 1974 to 2004 and the Ford County
5Republican Chairman from 1978 to 1998; he was the Secretary of
6the Illinois Republican County Chairman's Association from
71986 to 1990 and served as an Illinois State Representative
8from July of 1991 to January of 1993 for the old 87th District;
9he served his community by being both a member of the Kempton
10Village Board and Kempton Fire Department for over 30 years;
11and
 
12    WHEREAS, After retirement from education, Les Conkling
13worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation for over 9
14years, retiring in December of 2002; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Les Conkling enjoyed skiing, fly fishing, and
16following his Fighting Illini; he also enjoyed reading,
17traveling, and was most passionate when working with youth,
18coaching, and volunteering; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Les Conkling was preceded in death by his wife,
20Elna and his parents; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Les Conkling is survived by his children, Ted

 

 

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1(Valerie) and Howard (Mary); his grandchildren, Danielle
2(Andrew) Donley, Ian Conkling, Brooke (Ben) Carton, Emily
3Conkling, and Michael Conkling; and his great-grandchildren,
4Alexis and Wade Donley; therefore, be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
6NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
7we mourn the passing of E. Leslie "Les" Conkling, and extend
8our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who
9knew and loved him; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
11presented to the family of Les Conkling as an expression of our
12deepest sympathy.