093_SR0051

 
                                     LRB093 10961 HSS 11539 r

 1                          SENATE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members  of  the  Senate  of  the  State  of
 3    Illinois  were  saddened to learn of the death of Leo Leonard
 4    Gedvilas of Naperville on Sunday, January 26, 2003; and

 5        WHEREAS, Mr.  Gedvilas  grew  up  in  Spring  Valley;  he
 6    graduated  from  Hall  High School, in Spring Valley in 1941,
 7    where he played football  and  was  captain  of  the  varsity
 8    basketball team; and

 9        WHEREAS,  He  attended  George Washington University, but
10    scarlet fever sent him home prior to the end of his  freshman
11    year; he went on to receive his bachelor's degree in 1946 and
12    a  master's  degree in 1947, both in physical education, from
13    the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;  he  lettered
14    in basketball and baseball; and

15        WHEREAS,  Mr.  Gedvilas  began  work at the University of
16    Illinois at Navy Pier, which later became the  University  of
17    Illinois  at  Chicago, as a physical education instructor; he
18    worked at UIC for 39 years and held  a  number  of  positions
19    including   assistant   dean   of   the   physical  education
20    department; he retired in 1987; and

21        WHEREAS, Mr. Gedvilas was the basketball coach from  1947
22    to 1958 and had the distinction of being the first basketball
23    coach  at UIC; he holds the record for the highest basketball
24    winning percentage for the school, .560, with a record of 102
25    wins and 80 losses; he was known as a  straightforward  coach
26    who often served as a surrogate father to his students; and

27        WHEREAS,  In  his  retirement,  Mr.  Gedvilas  served  as
28    membership   chairman  for  the  UIC  chapter  of  the  State
29    Universities Annuitants Association from 1990 to 1991; he was
30    an  active  member  of  Saints  Peter  and  Paul  Church   in
31    Naperville, serving as a religious education teacher and as a
 
                            -2-      LRB093 10961 HSS 11539 r
 1    member  of  the  bingo committee and the Knights of Columbus;
 2    and

 3        WHEREAS, The passing of Mr. Gedvilas has been deeply felt
 4    by many, especially his wife, Darlene; his sons,  Andy,  Tom,
 5    Larry, Joe, John, and Bob; his daughter, Mary Ellen Butz; his
 6    sister, Louise Urbanski; and his 18 grandchildren; therefore,
 7    be it

 8        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
 9    ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the  passing
10    of  Leo Leonard Gedvilas and offer his family and friends our
11    sincerest condolences; and be it further

12        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
13    presented  to  the  family  of  Leo  Leonard  Gedvilas  as an
14    expression of our deepest sympathy.