SR1859 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1859 LRB099 21785 MST 48488 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Clifton G. Bergeron of Urbana, who passed away on April 14, 2016; and

WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron was born in Los Angeles, California to Lewis G. and Rose Dengel Bergeron on January 5, 1925; he served from 1943 to 1946 as a Corporal in the United States Army 14th Armored Division in England, France, and Germany during World War II; he was awarded the European-African Campaign Medal with two Bronze Battle Stars; he married Laura Kaario in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 9, 1950; and

WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1950 with a degree in ceramic engineering and was employed in the research and development laboratories of the A.O. Smith Corp. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; in 1955, he joined the Whirlpool Corp. of St. Joseph, Michigan as a staff engineer; he returned to the University of Illinois in 1957 and was employed as a research associate in the Department of Ceramic Engineering; he earned his Master of Science in 1959 and his Ph.D. in Ceramic Engineering in 1961; he was appointed an assistant professor in 1961, full professor in 1967, and head of the Department of Ceramic Engineering in 1978; he retired in 1988, but remained active as a consultant to the industry; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of Clifton Bergeron's many contributions to his profession, he was named a fellow of the American Ceramic Society in 1967; he received the University of Illinois College of Engineering Everitt Award for Teaching Excellence in 1975, the American Ceramic Society Outstanding Educator Award in 1988, and the ACS Greaves-Walker Award for Professional Achievement in 2005; he was especially pleased when a group of his former students established an endowed scholarship in his name in 2004; and

WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron enjoyed fishing, woodworking, and nature photography; he was a member of the Nature Conservancy, the Izaak Walton League, the Wilderness Society, the Sierra Club, and the Prairie Rivers Network; he served as a volunteer reader for the sight-impaired at the Illinois Radio Reader for a number of years; he was also an avid home wine maker; he and his family enjoyed camping and fishing vacations with his parents throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin; and

WHEREAS, In 1968, Clifton Bergeron and his wife bought land on a small lake near the Salt Fork River and spent a great deal of time at a cabin, enjoying many happy weekends relaxing, fishing, and forming enduring friendships with neighboring cabin owners; in later years, they enjoyed visiting Meadowbrook Park, where a small grove of trees and a bench memorialize Laura's love for the park; and

WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron moved to Clark-Lindsey Village in 2006, where he was an active participant in daily life, serving on numerous committees, and contributing articles and nature photographs to The Village Voice magazine published by CLV residents; he eventually rose to the position of Co-Chair of the magazine, and then Chair, serving in those capacities for several years; and

WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron took photographs of the many animals, insects, and plants in nearby Meadowbrook Park, which were enjoyed by his fellow residents; he was given a bulletin board at CLV, "Clif's Nature Corner", where he posted photographs with informative and entertaining captions and quizzes on a regular basis, bringing the natural world indoors to share, particularly with those who had difficulty visiting the park themselves; he collaborated on projects in the workshop with his fellow residents, including building a new scoreboard for use in the outdoor shuffleboard games in the summer; and

WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron was preceded in death by his wife, Laura; his parents; and his sister, Shirley Marsh; and

WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron is survived by his daughter, Ann Bergeron (Kevin Fahey); his son, Louis Bergeron; his niece, Carrie (Mike) Benvenuti; and his nephew, Mike (Pam) Marsh; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Clifton G. Bergeron, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, 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 Clifton Bergeron as an expression of our deepest sympathy.