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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Preston F. "Pres" Helgren of Gurnee, who
4passed away on March 14, 2018; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Pres Helgren was born in Waukegan to Fred and
6Esther Helgren on June 30, 1926; always a lover of music, he
7had a fine tenor voice, and he played the clarinet in high
8school; he graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison
9with a degree in chemistry, where he played in the band under
10the direction of Ray Dvorak; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Pres Helgren worked at Carnation in Milwaukee and
12then spent the rest of his career as a research chemist at
13Abbott Laboratories, where he was a specialist in gas
14chromatography and amino acid analysis; while at Abbott, he met
15Helen Efinger, a fellow chemist, and they celebrated 58 years
16of marriage; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Pres Helgren was a lifelong member of Christ
18Church in Waukegan, where he sang in the choir, served on
19Vestry, and was a member of the Christ Care group; because of
20his work as a volunteer for Elder Care at Christ Church, he was
21named Senior Citizen of the Year by the Lake County Council for
22Seniors; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Pres Helgren had many interests; he inherited a
2love of gardening from his parents and was known for his
3perfect yard, beautiful rose garden, and productive vegetable
4garden and orchard; he and Helen were also passionate about
5prairies and recreated prairie landscapes around the Gurnee
6area; he collected antique cars and was active in the Waukegan
7Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America, where he
8served as president of the chapter and was on the Illinois
9Region Board; he and Helen enjoyed traveling the country and
10attending car meets; he eventually won the top prize, a grand
11national award, with his 1933 Chevrolet; he was a voracious
12reader, a die hard fan of the Wisconsin Badgers, and an avid
13golfer; he generously supported the causes he held dear: the
14environment, the less fortunate, education, and the arts; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Pres Helgren was preceded in death by his parents;
16his wife, Helen; two of his daughters in infancy; his sister,
17Mary Ellen Johnson; and his niece, Susan Johnson; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Pres Helgren is survived by his son, Daniel
19(Elizabeth) Helgren; his daughter, Mary Catherine (Richard
20Radek) Helgren; his step-children, Zachary Noah and Madeline
21Rose; his nephews, Preston and Peter Johnson; and his best
22friend, Eileen Graham; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
2ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
3Preston F. "Pres" Helgren and extend our sincere condolences to
4his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Pres Helgren as an expression of our
8deepest sympathy.