HR0762 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0762 LRB093 21598 KEF 49001 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives were saddened to learn of the death of Robert J. "Pud" Williams; and

WHEREAS, Robert Williams was born on June 21, 1926 in Centerville to Robert P. Williams and Mamie O. (Vaught) Williams; and

WHEREAS, He attended high school in Carmi and went to college at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Williams served in the United States Navy Seabees and served in Japan during World War II; he married Dorothy Givens in 1952; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Williams was the Illinois Director of Agriculture from 1972-1976; during his service, he reduced the Department from 11 operating departments to 4 and eliminated duplication of services and saved man-hours, dollars, and created improved efficiency; and

WHEREAS, He worked with handicapped through his wife Dorothy and Roberta Walker to make the State Fairgrounds handicap accessible and was also instrumental in opening a 24 hour diagnostic lab at the University of Illinois to be open 365 days a year; and

WHEREAS, He served as Burnt Prairie Township Supervisor in White County from 1958 to 1972; in addition, he served on the Board of Supervisors for White County and was Chairman of the Board at one time; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Williams was instrumental in obtaining the Centerville blacktop to provide rural people easy access to Carmi; he was on the Wabash Valley Interstate Commission which promoted traffic between Indiana and Illinois on the Wabash River; he also served on the Egyptian Health Department Board; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Williams was an entrepreneur and founded and owned Pundrake Petroleum Products in Carmi; he also owned and operated Pud Williams Farms in White County and Williams Grain Co. in Golden Gate; in addition, he developed IAP, Illinois Agriculture Product Trademark, a tool designed to promote and develop markets from Illinois Agriculture; with its logo it gives identity to the State's leading industry which is Agriculture; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Robert J. "Pud" Williams will be deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Dorothy; his daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Ray Mitchell; his son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Eileen Norton-Williams; his two granddaughters, Katherine Grace and Caroline Rose Norton-Williams; and his brother and sister-in-law, Larry and Judy Williams; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Robert J. "Pud" Williams along with all who knew and loved him and extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Robert J. "Pud" Williams as an expression of our deepest sympathy.