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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Walter
4Edward Pilditch, who passed away on December 24, 2017; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch was born in Chicago to Howard and
6Edith Pilditch on April 30, 1931; he was baptized at Beverly's
7St. Paul's Bible Church, where he remained a member all his
8life; he joined St. Paul's Boy Scout Troop 608 in 1942,
9eventually earning Scouting's highest rank of Eagle Scout and
10serving as Scoutmaster and the Troop's Treasurer; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch attended Vanderpoel Elementary
12School and graduated from Morgan Park High School, where he
13earned membership in the Tau Epsilon Scholastic Society, served
14as a member of the student administration, and was inducted
15into the National Honor Society; he attended Wilson Junior
16College and the Chicago Teachers' College, earning his degree
17in education, and eventually earning a master's degree from
18Northwestern University and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern
19University; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch began teaching at Felsenthal
21Elementary School when he was drafted during the Korean War; he
22served in the United States Army Signal Corps, earning the rank

 

 

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1of Sergeant; he returned to Felsenthal Elementary School and
2continued his education, joining the University of Chicago's
3first administrative internship program; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch married Joyce Gach, a widow with
5two young children, in 1966, and together they welcomed another
6son; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch passed the principal's
8examination in 1968, serving first at Jungman Elementary School
9for 10 years and then at his alma mater, Morgan Park High
10School, where he employed his policy of "Management by Walking
11Around" and utilized innovative automated "wake up calls" to
12reduce tardiness and truancy; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch moved to Curie High School and
14then served the district in the Office of Accountability; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch was twice elected to the Chicago
16Teachers' Pension Fund (CTPF) Board of Trustees, serving from
171995 until 2001; he was also a member and president of the
18Chicago Principals and Administrators Association; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch retired from CPS in 2001 after 45
20years of service; he was elected to the CTPF Board of Trustees
21as a pensioner representative in 2003 and re-elected seven more

 

 

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1times, most recently in November of 2017; he served in many
2leadership roles including vice president and financial
3Secretary and as chairman of the Pension Law and Rules, Finance
4and Audit, and Claims and Service Credits committees; he was
5also a member of almost every committee; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch contributed to numerous
7organizations, serving on the executive committee for the
8Beverly Area Planning Association, on the Chicago Retired
9Teachers Aid Fund, as a Chicago Science Fair Judge, and as a
10Local School Council Community Representative; he was involved
11with several groups including the Archer Road Kiwanis
12Organization, the Beverly Improvement Association, the Beverly
13Ridge Lions Club, and the Retired Teachers Association of
14Chicago (RTAC); and
 
15    WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch has been recognized with
16distinguished service awards from the Aquin Guild and the
17Assistant Principals Association; he also received the
18Armstrong Award from RTAC and Scouting's highest recognition,
19the Silver Beaver Award; therefore, be it
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
21HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
22mourn the passing of Walter Pilditch, and extend our sincere
23condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved

 

 

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1him; and be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
3presented to the family of Walter Pilditch as an expression of
4our deepest sympathy.