SR0358 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0358 LRB097 13944 KXB 58540 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of William "Bill" Stephenson of Bethalto, who passed away on September 10, 2011; and

WHEREAS, He was born on August 14, 1923, in Eldorado, the son of W. Floyd and Muriel (Williams) Stephenson; he married Lucille "Lucy" Stephenson on February 9, 1947, in Fosterburg and she preceded him in death; and

WHEREAS, He started his employment at Olin as a guard until he joined the United States Army, where he served his country during World War II from 1943 until 1946; upon returning from the war, he became an insurance agent for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and retired from there; he then helped Dugger Pool in Bethalto as a pool installer and helped with maintenance; and

WHEREAS, He proudly served as the mayor of the village of Bethalto from 1981 to 1997; he was a member of the Bethalto United Methodist Church, charter member of the Bethalto Spirit Group, a 50-year member of the Masonic Brotherhood, a member of the Bethalto American Legion Post 214, and the Bethalto Rotary Club, where he held the honor of being a Paul Harris Fellow; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; his brothers, Jerry and Robert Eugene Stephenson; and his brothers-in-law, Ralph Crawford and F.W. Pete Travis; and

WHEREAS, William Stephenson is survived by his daughter, Janis Kay Stephenson; his son and daughter-in-law, Donald N. and Mary Lou Stephenson; his grandson, Bart Gregory Stephenson; his brother and sister-in-law, James and Mary Stephenson; his sister, Helen Crawford; his sister-in-law, Sibyl Travis; and several nieces, nephews, and good friends; 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 William Stephenson; and be it further

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