HR0549 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0549 LRB101 14907 MST 63973 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, U.S. Navy veteran Lyle Gordon Endicott was born on December 7, 1921, exactly 20 years to the day before his enlistment in the Navy and the attack on Pearl Harbor; and

WHEREAS, Lyle Endicott enlisted in the United States Navy on December 7, 1941, a day now known as Pearl Harbor Day; and

WHEREAS, Lyle Endicott heroically served as a fighter pilot with the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade on the USS Steamer Bay aircraft carrier in the Pacific during World War II; and

WHEREAS, While deployed in the Pacific, Lyle Endicott supported the invasions of Luzon Island, Lingayen Gulf, Subic Bay, Iwo Jima, and the Okinawa Islands; and

WHEREAS, While on leave from the Navy, Lyle Endicott met Elizabeth Ann "Annie" Piercy of Woodlawn and married her after only knowing each other two weeks; and

WHEREAS, Upon his discharge from the Navy, Lyle Endicott and Annie decided to stay in Woodlawn, where they opened a small grocery store; and

WHEREAS, Their store began to grow, and the people of Woodlawn appreciated the convenience of having a store in their little village; they began to sell furniture out of their grocery store and eventually opened up Endicott Interiors, running both the grocery store and the furniture store; and

WHEREAS, Eventually their furniture store grew so large that it became one of the most influential businesses in Jefferson County, attracting customers from many miles; and

WHEREAS, They were business owners known for being gracious, generous, and models for the entire community, putting their faith first as the basis for their personal lives and for their business decisions; and

WHEREAS, They were active leaders in the Woodlawn Christian Church and longtime volunteers in the Mt. Vernon Hospice organization and were both honored as Senior Saints for Jefferson County; and

WHEREAS, Lyle Endicott also flew as a company pilot for the Self Oil Company, where he continued to be one of the most experienced and revered pilots in Southern Illinois and was able to teach many young pilots how to fly; and

WHEREAS, Lyle Endicott was happily married for 72 years to Annie prior to her death in 2016; they raised one son, Stanton, and one daughter, Vicki; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend Lyle Gordon Endicott for his unwavering service to our nation in the United States Navy and for his contributions to the economy and people of Woodlawn; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Lyle Endicott as a symbol of our respect and esteem.