SR0723 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0723 LRB097 21137 KXB 68578 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Robert L. Jensen, known as the Downers Grove Village Historian Extraordinaire, World Traveler, and Adventurer, who passed away on March 23, 2012; and

WHEREAS, He was born in Hinsdale to Albert and Alice (Sanijster) Jensen of Downers Grove; he spent his youth in Downers Grove, graduating from Downers Grove North High School in 1948, at which point he went to work for Illinois Bell Telephone Company as an installer-repairman, retiring after 34 years; and

WHEREAS, During the Korean War he enlisted in the Air Force, was shipped overseas to Japan, then sent to Korea; following a furlough, he was stationed in Greenville, South Carolina, at Donaldson Air Force Base; upon his discharge in December 1954 he built a home and settled in Downers Grove; and

WHEREAS, He enjoyed building many HO gauge model railroads; his latest project included building an amusement park with rides and refreshment stands in the vicinity of the tracks; he also worked tirelessly for the Indian Boundary YMCA, and helped to sell Christmas trees on many sub-zero days over the last 30 years; and

WHEREAS, First Presbyterian Church of Downers Grove, his church, and which the Jensen family helped to start, was another area where he was in his own element of building and creating many projects that were needed by the church ministry; he was known to be "on call" and worked very hard for the young people of the YMCA and the First Presbyterian Church; and

WHEREAS, After his retirement he had the distinct pleasure to take 3 trips around the world; he was also fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to visit over 140 foreign countries; his main love continued to be talking with others individually or on tours about his home town of Downers Grove and the Sears Homes that he discovered were built in the area; and

WHEREAS, He earned the title given to him (unofficially) as Downers Grove's Historian Extraordinaire, as he continually researched information on the town's history; and

WHEREAS, Robert Jensen is survived by his children, Frances Farmer Luczak (Don); Neal Lenius Jensen (Monica); his grandchildren, Tyler Luczak and Tyler Jensen; his cousins, Carol Ann McHaley (Joe) and Patricia Eisenstraut (Rudy); and numerous other relatives; therefore, be it

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

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