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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Cyril "Pete" Korte on
4receiving the 2019 Homer Poss Lifetime Achievement Award; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The Homer Poss Lifetime Achievement Award is
6presented by the Highland Chamber of Commerce to an individual
7who has made a significant positive impact on the Highland
8community through their past achievements over a long period of
9time and who has enhanced the quality of life for Highland-area
10residents; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Pete Korte was born and raised in a devout
12Catholic family in Damiansville, the 11th of 12 children born
13to Ben and Mary Korte; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Pete Korte came from humble beginnings; he grew up
15very poor but worked very hard on the family farm as a young
16boy and teenager; with an ailing father, two sisters in the
17Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood Order, and four brothers
18in the service, he was left to run the family farm at 14; he
19attended Damiansville Elementary School and Aviston High
20School; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Pete Korte landed his first job in Highland at

 

 

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1Basler Electric when he was 16 years old; he joined the U.S.
2Army Reserve when he was 19; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Pete Korte and Jane were just kids when they first
4met, which was through courtships and marriages between their
5siblings; two of Pete's sisters, Alvina and Alice, married two
6of Jane's brothers, Francis and John; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Pete Korte and Jane married in 1958, and he says
8she truly is the love of his life, his rock and his foundation;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, With a small loan from his father-in-law and the
11little savings he had, Pete Korte bought a backhoe and started
12doing small jobs around Highland and neighboring towns; soon
13after, he joined forces with his brother-in-law, Joe Luitjohan,
14and they formed a brother-like-union, working countless hours
15side-by-side; in 1960, he and Joe joined the Operating
16Engineers Local 520 with cards numbers 39 and 40; over the
17years, they broadened their project scope to include roadwork,
18bridgework, and building demolition; today, as a full-service
19general contractor and design builder, their business is unique
20in that it still performs much of its own excavating work; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Pete Korte has been one of Highland's hardest
22workers and very industrious over the years; his business

 

 

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1ventures included a tree moving business, a strawberry farm, a
2subdivision development, crane hoisting services, the Beagle
3Inn Bar and Grill, and mini warehouses; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Pete Korte was the brainchild behind Windows on
5Broadway, a unique business in Highland that houses not just an
6antique store but also a venue space for intimate events; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Since early in his adult life, Pete Korte has been
8involved in many civic organizations, including the Knights of
9Columbus and the Highland Jaycees; he was a volunteer fire
10fighter for the City of Highland, which he joined together with
11his brother-in-law, Joe; he believes the Highland Jaycees and
12being a fire fighter provided him with structure and strength,
13which taught him many life lessons; and
 
14    WHEREAS, As a Jaycee, Pete Korte spent many years and long
15hours setting up and tearing down the Highland Homecoming; Jane
16and his kids were by his side through much of his work; as vice
17president and chairman of the Highland Jaycees, they earned the
18#1 Chapter for Highland both years; he enjoyed his work life
19and giving back was his second nature; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Pete Korte devoted himself to his church, St.
21Paul; he was in the choir and served as Kirchenfest Chairman in
221976, the same year he also chaired the Highland Homecoming on

 

 

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1the square, donating equipment, labor and materials when
2needed; he donated equipment, labor, and many loads of rock for
3the 2017 renovations of the Knights of Columbus baseball
4diamonds; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Pete Korte's spirit of giving and dedication to
6his church and community has certainly filtered down to his
7children, as they give back to their own churches and
8communities; therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
10HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11we congratulate Cyril "Pete" Korte on receiving the 2019 Homer
12Poss Lifetime Achievement Award and thank him for all the hard
13work he has done for his community; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to Pete Korte as a symbol of our respect and esteem.