HR0308 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of former Appellate Justice and State Representative Tobias G. "Toby" Barry, who passed away on April 4, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Justice Barry was born in Chicago to Tobias and Mary Barry on April 12, 1924; and

WHEREAS, Justice Barry served from 1943 to 1946 in the United States Navy as a combat medic in the Pacific Theater during World War II, where he took part in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa before returning to Marquette University to complete his undergraduate degree; and

WHEREAS, Justice Barry earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame in 1952 and started his life-long legal career; and

WHEREAS, After the unfortunate and untimely death of his father, State Representative Tobias Barry Sr., in 1958, Justice Barry ran as an independent for his father's seat when Democrats did not select him to fill the seat; and

WHEREAS, While Justice Barry was not elected in 1958, he ran for the seat two years later and was elected as a Democrat; and

WHEREAS, Justice Barry continued to serve as a State Representative for 14 years, where he worked tirelessly through several administrations with Representative E.J. "Zeke" Giorgi for the creation of Interstate 39 as an alternative to U.S. Route 51; and

WHEREAS, Justice Barry finally resigned his seat in the legislature in December of 1974 to assume the position of an Appellate Judge in the Third Judicial District to which he had been elected; and

WHEREAS, Justice Barry won retention to the bench in 1984, and then in 1990, he narrowly lost by less than 3,000 votes for a seat on the Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, Justice Barry decided to retire from the bench in 1994 to resume private practice with the law firm of Aplington, Kaufman, McClintock, Steele, and Barry, Ltd., in LaSalle; and

WHEREAS, Governor George Ryan named Justice Barry to serve on the Illinois Gaming Board in November of 2001; and

WHEREAS, The Supreme Court asked Justice Barry to return to the Third District Appellate Court to fill a vacancy on the bench in November of 2002 for two years; and

WHEREAS, In appreciation for his many contributions to the State of Illinois, the 94th General Assembly designated the portion of Interstate 39 from LaSalle-Peru to the Zeke Giorgi Highway as the Tobias "Toby" Barry Highway; and

WHEREAS, Justice Barry is survived by his loving wife, Jan; his daughter, Michele; his sons, Mark, Patrick, and Daniel; seven grandchildren; and innumerable friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his family and friends, mourn the passing of former Appellate Justice and State Representative Tobias "Toby" G. Barry; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Justice Barry as an expression of our respect and deepest sympathy.