SR0599 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0599 LRB096 19955 KXB 35435 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Jack G. Wallenda Sr. of Chicago, who passed away on November 21, 2009; and

WHEREAS, He was born on April 2, 1926; he was married to the late Stella Wallenda and was the loving father of seven children and the proud grandfather of twelve grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, During World War II, he served honorably and with distinction in the United States Army under the command of General Douglas MacArthur during the Philippines campaign; during the liberation of the Philippines Archipelago, the 7th Infantry Division was responsible for the liberation of thousands of American prisoners of war and freedom for the people of the Philippines from Japanese hegemony; and

WHEREAS, While serving as a medium tank driver with the Army's 7th Infantry, he was awarded the Philippine Liberation Ribbon and the Asiatic Theater Campaign Medal; he was honorably discharged from the Army on November 15, 1946; and

WHEREAS, After the war he joined the Chicago Police Department and rose to the rank of Detective in Area 2 Homicide, Star #2789 from 1955 to 1979; during this time he was one of the lead investigators on one of the most notorious mass murder cases in the annals of Chicago history; and

WHEREAS, Upon his retirement from the Chicago Police Department, he continued to serve the State of Illinois as an appointee to the position of chief investigator by Attorney General William J. Scott; he was also appointed and served as Executive Director of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission by Chairman Albert D. McCoy; he retired from public service in May of 1991; 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 Jack Wallenda Sr.; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Jack Wallenda Sr. as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.