SR0355 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0355 LRB099 11773 MST 33664 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of William Earl Wharton of Woodstock, who passed away on November 19, 2014; and

WHEREAS, William Wharton was born in Chester on October 18, 1917 to James G. and Edith (nee Katzmark) Wharton; he attended Lane Tech High School in Chicago; after graduation, he earned his pilot's license and joined the United States Army; he was first stationed stateside with an artillery unit and then sent to North Africa with the 36th Infantry Division from Texas; he flew several reconnaissance missions in North Africa and participated in the invasion of Italy with the 36th Infantry Division; he also helped to liberate the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp in Austria; he married Dorothy May Stahlberg on July 8, 1946; and

WHEREAS, After the war, William Wharton worked for Admiral and then Union Special as a quality control inspector; and

WHEREAS, William Wharton was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Dorothy; his son, William Wharton; his brother, James Wharton; and his sister, Clarice Owen; and

WHEREAS, William Wharton is survived by his son, Timothy Wharton; his 2 daughters, Kathleen (Don) Bennett and Sharon (Al) Emery; his 11 grandchildren, Beth Ann, Amanda, Kyle, William Sevcik, Suzanne Robinson, Rachael, Amy, Elise, Linda Kay Harner, Michael Harner, and Andrew Emery; and several great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of William Earl Wharton, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, his friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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