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91_SR0323
LRB9113609CBcb
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Senate were saddened to learn
3 of the death of Lewis J. Burger of Hilton Head Island, South
4 Carolina, formerly of Peoria, on Tuesday, March 14, 2000; and
5 WHEREAS, Born in 1913 in Niskayuna, New York, Lewis
6 Burger has participated in church and community activities
7 since early childhood; his love of education continued
8 throughout his life; and
9 WHEREAS, He married his fiance, Hazel, on Easter Sunday,
10 1936, shortly after graduating from Purdue University with a
11 degree in mechanical engineering; and
12 WHEREAS, Lewis Burger worked for twenty-eight years for
13 General Electric; he then became president of
14 LeTourneau-Westinghouse, whose parent company was the
15 Westinghouse Air Brake Company; and
16 WHEREAS, Lewis Burger was soon promoted to vice president
17 and group executive of construction and mining at WABCO's
18 corporate headquarters in Pittsburg; he returned to Peoria in
19 1972 as group executive for construction and mining for
20 American Standard, which had bought WABCO; and
21 WHEREAS, Mr. Burger retired in 1977 to begin a new
22 career, helping to make Peoria a better place to live; he
23 volunteered his time to countless civic projects; and
24 WHEREAS, Lewis Burger worked tirelessly for several
25 organizations, including Parc, the Boy Scouts and Girl
26 Scouts, the Urban League, the United Way, Youth Farm,
27 Lakeview Museum, and the American Cancer Society; and
28 WHEREAS, Lewis Burger served on various boards and
29 commissions during his years in Peoria; he was the first
30 chairman of the Peoria Civic Center, incorporated and served
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1 on the board of the Peoria Convention and Visitor's Bureau,
2 was the founder and past chairman of the Peoria Area
3 Community Foundation, the past Board Chairman of Bradley
4 University, a member of the Salvation Army's national and
5 local advisory board, President of the Peoria Civic Opera,
6 Vice Chairman of Proctor Hospital Board, and served on the
7 boards of the Commercial National Bank, the United Way,
8 Friendship House, the Peoria Symphony, WPTV-Channel 47, and
9 Junior Achievement; and
10 WHEREAS, Lewis Burger's awards included the Cross of
11 Leopold from the country of Belgium, an honorary law degree
12 from Bradley University, the Tom Connor award for community
13 service, the William Booth award by the Salvation Army for
14 service, and the Curt Cation Memorial Gold Top Cane for
15 community service by the Peoria Advertising and Selling Club;
16 he was named the Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year from the
17 Central Illinois Chapter of the National Society of
18 Fund-Raising Executives and the 1976 Tri-County Citizen of
19 the Year; and
20 WHEREAS, Lewis Burger's passing will be deeply felt by
21 all who knew him, especially his three daughters and a host
22 of friends; therefore, be it
23 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIRST GENERAL
24 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we note with sorrow
25 and regret the death of Lewis J. Burger and extend our
26 sincere condolences to his family and friends; and be it
27 further
28 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
29 presented to the family of Lewis J. Burger.