SR0513 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0513 LRB096 15783 GRL 31023 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Donald J. Dalton of Naperville, who passed away on November 2, 2009; and

WHEREAS, Donald Dalton was born on June 2, 1943, in St. Charles; and

WHEREAS, In July of 1969, Donald Dalton was injured in a diving accident and was permanently paralyzed from the neck down; instead of sulking over what could have been, he decided to go forward and learn as much as he could about computers and technology for the disabled; with the help of a counselor from the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services, he was able to overcome his disability as it related to working and continuing his life; and

WHEREAS, Over the past 17 years, Donald Dalton has developed a reputation as an internationally-recognized assistive technology expert; in May of 2002, he was invited to China by a group of medical professionals to help teach them about assistive technology for their newly developing national rehabilitation system; and

WHEREAS, Donald Dalton served as President of Assistive Technologies, Inc.; he and his associates have been featured in a 4,000 word story about his company on the front page of the Wall Street journal; he served as a member of the board of directors for Chicago's "Joni and friends" area ministry; he was a developing partner in Independence One, an environmental control solution; he was a former member of the Board of Trustees of Equip for Equality in Chicago, the American Legion, and the VFW; he was a former City of Naperville Fire Department volunteer; he was also a former ham radio operator for the City of Naperville; and

WHEREAS, Donald Dalton and his company have been the subjects of articles in Wired Magazine, Cranes Chicago Business, the Chicago Sun-Times, DuPage Financial, and the Chicago Tribune, and stories on CNN, NBC, Fox, and the USA Network; and

WHEREAS, Donald Dalton was the Illinois State 1994 winner of the Blue Chip Enterprise Initiative Award; he was nominated for the Emerging Entrepreneur Award by the DuPage Area Association in 1994 and 1995; in 2008, he and his company were individually nominated for New Freedom Awards; and

WHEREAS, Donald Dalton was a former drummer for the Maybees, a nationally-recognized rock and roll band; and

WHEREAS, Donald Dalton was preceded in death by his parents, James and Catherine Dalton, and his siblings, Thomas and James Dalton, Ann Safranski, Patricia McGrath, and Theresa Friedl; and

WHEREAS, Donald Dalton is survived by his wife, Helen (nee Zarko); his son, Thomas (Dawn) Dalton; his grandchildren, Eva, Mia, Abby, and Liam Dalton; and his many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; 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 Donald J. Dalton; and be it further

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