SR0322 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0322 LRB096 13226 GRL 27885 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Lawrence Alan Gregory, formerly of Naperville, who passed away on May 6, 2009; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory was born in 1928; he was the youngest of six children born to Harry and Gretchen Gregory; he lived on the family farm, which is now home to the Fox Valley Shopping Center; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory graduated from Naperville High School in 1947; he attended the University of Illinois for one semester before deciding to transfer to North Central College, where he continued to have ties for many years; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory met Charmaine Cakora at the local roller skating rink; the pair married in 1952; in 1954, he decided to leave farming and open up his own electrical contracting company, Gregory Electric, Inc.; under the company motto of "Let Larry light it", Gregory Electric, Inc. flourished, employing over 100 employees at one point; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory enjoyed farming and all the hard work and challenges it presented; he also enjoyed electrical projects, eventually wiring his first home at age 16; he was also an active member of 4-H and was once selected to attend the 4-H National Congress; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory served as a volunteer for countless community projects and service organizations, including the Board of Trustees at Edward Hospital, North Central College, and Grace United Methodist Church; he served as president of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Naperville Planning Commission, and a member of the Naperville Zoning Board of Appeals; he served on the Naperville Riverwalk Commission and coordinated various stages of the riverwalk's construction; he served as President of the Rotary Club of Naperville and served on the board of the Wheatland Plowing Match Association; he also served on the Naperville YMCA Board of Directors; he especially enjoyed getting involved in "hands on" projects such as the Riverwalk, Safety Town, the construction of Grace UMC, and the North Central College athletic facility; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory was recognized as a distinguished alumnus from the NHS Class of '47; he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at North Central College and received their outstanding alumnus award in 1977; in 2005, he was selected to receive the Life Achievement Award by the Jaycees and was honored by being named one of Naperville's 25 Most Influential People; due to his contributions and leadership in building the outdoor athletic facility, Mr. Gregory and his wife were both honored by North Central College with the dedication of the Gregory Arena in the Merner Field House; and

WHEREAS, In his spare time, Lawrence Gregory enjoyed the sport of water skiing; his talent led him to teach hundreds of his friends and relatives to ski and love the sport as he did; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Gregory is survived by his wife, Charmaine; his children, Michael (Diane) Gregory, Dean (Sindy) Gregory, Jeffrey Gregory of, and Pamela (Allen) Carius; and his 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Lawrence Alan Gregory; and be it further

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