Full Text of HR0141

HR0141 LRB104 12399 JDS 22660 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Charlene Wexler of Richmond on being presented with the 2025 Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame Award and on being inducted into the Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame; and

WHEREAS, Each year, the Department on Aging presents the Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame Award to, and thereby inducts into the Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame, four Illinois senior citizens for their noteworthy contributions to the arts, education, community service, or the labor force; and

WHEREAS, Charlene Wexler is a native Chicagoan, a graduate of the University of Illinois, and the award-winning author of several novels, poems, and collections of short fiction and essays, including Lori, Elephants in the Room, Farewell to South Shore, Milk and Oranges, Murder Across the Ocean, and Murder on Skid Row; and

WHEREAS, Charlene Wexler's journey as a writer began when her son Jeffrey was diagnosed with leukemia at age 8; and

WHEREAS, During her son's illness, Charlene Wexler kept a journal as a form of therapy, and when her son died at age 12, she channeled her grief into her first novel, Lori; and

WHEREAS, Charlene Wexler's work has since appeared in a variety of publications, including North Shore magazine, the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry's Vision magazine, and the Gazette newspaper of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Charlene Wexler has received many honors for her writing, including a Global Book Award (Bronze) in the Contemporary Fiction category, as well as a Four Seasons Book Award (Fall Finalist), for Farewell to South Shore, an Award of Excellence in the 2016 Apex Awards competition for Elephants in the Room, an Award of Excellence in the 2015 Apex Awards competition for Murder Across the Ocean, and a Grand Award in the 2012 Apex Awards competition, as well as a Bronze Award in the Women's Issues Category in the eLit Book Awards competition, for Milk and Oranges; and

WHEREAS, Charlene Wexler currently lives in Richmond with her husband, Dr. Sam Wexler, and enjoys the company of her 3 grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, By writing books about strong women, the women's movement, family relations, and the loss of a child in a manner that weaves together both laughter and sorrow and by creating historical fiction that draws from the experiences of her life, Charlene Wexler inspires her readers to adhere to her life advice: "Follow your dream. You can do it, and it's never too late."; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Charlene Wexler on her induction into the Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame and acknowledge her hard work and devotion to the art of writing; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Charlene Wexler as an expression of our respect and esteem for her illustrious and successful career as an author.