SR0957 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0957 LRB101 17704 LAW 67131 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Kirby M. Platter of Rock Island, who passed away on January 13, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Kirby Platter was born in Dallas, Texas to Henry Van Every and Grace (McDonough) Platter on May 24, 1932; in his youth, he lived in New Orleans, Louisiana, Pass Christian, Mississippi, and New York City, New York; at age five, he moved with his mother to Atlanta, Georgia; he attended Christ the King Grade School and Marist High School; he attended University of Georgia for one year; he served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany during the Korean War; he earned a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech in December 1957; Kirby Platter married Jo Ann Paterna in 1958; they had seven children; he later married Carol DeKezel in Rock Island on November 25, 1989; and

WHEREAS, From 1958 to 1965, Kirby Platter lived in Decatur, Alabama; while there, he held various Industrial Engineering positions, including working for NASA in Huntsville, Alabama, where he worked on tooling the Saturn 5 Booster as part of the Apollo moon program; and

WHEREAS, Kirby Platter moved his family to the Quad Cities in 1965; he held Manufacturing Engineering Management positions with JI Case for over 23 years; after Case, he held a number of contract positions in Industrial Engineering, Quality Assurance, Technical Writing, and Personnel Management with a number of firms in Illinois and Iowa; and

WHEREAS, Kirby Platter loved life and lived a full one; he enjoyed domestic and international travel; he was an ardent Georgia Tech and Hawkeye fan; he volunteered his time towards several organizations, including LIFE adult tutoring at Blackhawk College, the APRIS program of reading newspapers on air for the visually impaired through NPR's WVIK radio station, the Red Cross, and Trinity Hospital; and

WHEREAS, Kirby Platter was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Carol DeKezel; his sister, Mimi (Joseph) Cook; and his brother, Van (Mimi) Platter; and

WHEREAS, Kirby Platter is survived by his children, John (Justine) Platter, Peter (Cheryl) Platter, Susan (Troy) Hudson, Molly Bussert, Margaret Platter, Brigid (Harry) Dodge, and Ann (Matthew) Patterson; his stepchildren, Karen DeKezel, Thomas (Charlene) DeKezel, and Timothy (Lona) DeKezel; his eight grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Kirby M. Platter and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Kirby Platter as an expression of our deepest sympathy.