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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of John N. Bellcoff, formerly of Madison,
4who passed away on February 17, 2013; and
 
5    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff was born on June 6, 1922, in
6Madison; his parents were Naum and Dana Bellcoff; he married
7Diana Nickoloff on September 20, 1959, in Madison; and
 
8    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff graduated from Madison High School
9in 1940; he subsequently attended Washington University in St.
10Louis, where he majored in political science while working with
11his father at Bellcoff and Son Grocery in Madison; and
 
12    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff was drafted and served his country
13as a member of the United States Army in World War II; he
14served in the European theater and attained the rank of staff
15sergeant; and
 
16    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff began his banking career at the
17First National Bank in Madison, where he retired as Vice
18President in 1993; he served as a fireman in Madison for 21
19years and served as Assistant Fire Chief; he also worked at
20Sedlack Funeral Home in Madison and assisted other funeral
21homes in the community for many years; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff's political career began in 1951,
2when he was first elected to the Madison School Board; he
3served on the school board for 19 years and served as School
4Board President for 15 of the 19 years; in 1967, he was elected
5to the position of City Clerk of the City of Madison; he served
6as City Clerk for 18 years until 1985, when he was elected to
7serve as Mayor, where he remained until his retirement in 1997;
8he also served as Madison County Democratic Chairman from 1990
9to 1994; and
 
10    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff also served the citizens of Madison
11County and the surrounding Metro East/Bi-State Area; he served
12on the Madison County Board of Review from 1957 to 1961 and the
13Tri-City Regional Port District from 1963 to 1997; he was a
14charter member of the Southwestern Illinois Law Enforcement
15Commission from 1968 to 2013; he was a past president of the
16Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan Area Regional Planning
17Commission and the Bi-State Development Agency; he was also an
18executive board member of the East-West Gateway Coordinating
19Council, the Boy Scouts of America, and the St. Elizabeth's
20Medical Center Advisory Board; and
 
21    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff was a longtime member of numerous
22organizations, including Madison Amvets, VFW, the American
23Legion, Madison Lions Club, St. Mary's Men's Booster Club,

 

 

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1Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge 222, Masonic Lodge, DeMolay
2Legion of Honor, and the Ainad Temple Shrine; in 2000, he was
3bestowed the Shrine's Highest Honor of 33rd Degree; and
 
4    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff was a lifelong member of Holy
5Trinity Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church in Madison and served
6on the church's board for over 45 years; and
 
7    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff was preceded in death by his beloved
8parents; his two sisters, Dina Blattner and Sylvia Reeves; his
9in-laws, Elia and Yagna Nickoloff, his brothers-in-law, Nick E.
10Nickoloff, Christ E. Nickoloff, John E. Nickoloff, Steve E.
11Nickoloff, and Matthew Blattner; and his sister-in-law, Helen
12Nickoloff; and
 
13    WHEREAS, John Bellcoff is survived by his beloved wife of
1454 years, Diana; his daughters and son-in-law, Kathy and Tim
15Childers and Norma L. Bellcoff; his grandson, John; his very
16special dachshund, "Skeeter"; his brother-in-law, Robert Don
17Reeves; his sisters-in-law, Mary Nickoloff, Elsie Nickoloff,
18and Ellen Nickoloff; and his many nieces, nephews,
19great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great nieces, great-great
20nephews, and cousins; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
22ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with

 

 

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1his family and friends, the passing of John Bellcoff; and be it
2further
 
3    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4presented to the family of John Bellcoff as an expression of
5our sympathy.