HR0294 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0294 LRB099 11490 MST 32586 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate William Eugene Nelson on the occasion of his 95th birthday; and

WHEREAS, William Nelson was born in Rockford on March 25, 1920; he attended Rockford grade schools before relocating to Chicago and becoming part of the first graduating class at Lane Tech High School in 1938, where he played first base for the baseball team; he graduated from the Chicago School of Pharmacy and married Ramona Davis on November 28, 1942 and had 5 children, Dale, Karen, Connie, Bill, and Eric; in 1943, he entered the United States Navy and was deployed in the Pacific Theater; he played baseball for the Rockford Foresters; and

WHEREAS, William Nelson worked as a salesman for the Wyeth pharmaceutical company until 1949; he then bought Trulson Drug Store in Princeton and opened Nelson Drug at its South Main Street location on August 1, 1949; his brother, Bob, joined him in 1960 and worked at Nelson Drug for 12 years until leaving to open his own store; Williams's son, Billy, also worked at Nelson Drug for 20 years; and

WHEREAS, William Nelson retired on October 27, 2012 after operating Nelson Drug for 63 years - the longest operating business on Main Street in Princeton; he might possibly rank as the most senior "full-time, owner/operator pharmacist in North America"; and

WHEREAS, William Nelson served on the Princeton City Council from 1967 to 1979 and as the Mayor of Princeton from 1980 to 1988; he was the Grand Marshal of the Homestead Parade in Princeton in 2003 and was awarded the Illinois Pharmacists Association Lifetime Achievement award in 2009; and

WHEREAS, William Nelson is a life-long Chicago Cubs fan and once met Lou Gerig; he enjoys golfing and has achieved 2 holes-in-one; and

WHEREAS, William Nelson married Judith (nee Ruch) Struthers on March 18, 1995 and gained 2 step-sons, Jason and James; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate William Eugene Nelson on his 95th birthday and wish him many more wonderful years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to William Nelson as an expression of our esteem and respect.