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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Roy Williams, who passed away on February
414, 2018; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Roy Williams was born in Pekin on September 23,
61919; he married Jackie Soldwedel in 1942; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Roy Williams began working at a young age to help
8his family make it through the Great Depression; his first job
9was on a rail car in Pekin, flipping the backs of the seats to
10face east or west, depending on which way the rail car was
11traveling; he then got a job at the Pekin swimming pool, where
12he washed towels and worked as the shower boy for the bathers;
13all of the money he earned went toward helping his family; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Roy Williams found music in high school; he played
15the saxophone, and he and his friends formed the band
16"Serenaders"; his band performed at the High Hat in Pekin and
17at various restaurants and bars throughout Pekin and Peoria;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, Roy Williams was best known for his community
20service around Pekin; he was the founder of Spruce Up Pekin,
21which he ran for 20 years; in 2004, he led the campaign to

 

 

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1raise money for the Pekin clock tower on Capitol Street; he was
2a volunteer at and member of the Miller Center for 19 years,
3where he called bingo, participated in writing the newsletter,
4and raised money to help fund new programs; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Roy Williams was a committee member of the Pekin
6Main Street organization, which focused on promoting and
7restoring the downtown historical area; he worked with the
8Pekin Police Department to aid in the acquisition of their
9first K-9 officer; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Roy Williams will be remembered for his happy
11spirit and love for Pekin, a town he never wanted to leave; he
12believed that Pekin had everything a person needed to live a
13happy life; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Roy Williams was preceded in death by his wife,
15Jackie; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Roy Williams is survived by his son, Tim Williams;
17therefore, be it
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
19ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
20Roy Williams and extend our sincere condolences to his family,
21friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2presented to the family of Roy Williams as an expression of our
3deepest sympathy.