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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the deaths of Edison
4Park mainstays Irvin "Irv" Kaage Jr., 92, and Muriel Kaage, 90,
5who both passed away in April just 36 hours apart due to
6complications from the coronavirus; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Irvin and Muriel Kaage operated the Kaage's Corner
8Newsstand on Northwest Highway in Edison Park, which has been a
9mainstay for the last 77 years; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Their family members will always remember Irv and
11Muriel for their enduring love story that spanned seven decades
12and lasted until Irv's death when the hospital moved their beds
13close to one another so they could hold each others' hands; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Muriel Kaage defied her father by marrying Irv,
15and after getting married, they only had $100 to their names;
16even though it was a rough start, their love endured, and
17Muriel's father eventually accepted their love of one another;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, Irv Kaage was able to grow his newsstand business
20and was eventually able to afford to buy Muriel a beauty shop
21just across the street from the newsstand; the couple lived in

 

 

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1a small apartment behind the beauty shop; and
 
2    WHEREAS, While running the newsstands, Irv Kaage also
3delivered the Chicago Daily News to hotels and businesses
4around the area and picked up and delivered horse racing sheets
5for newsstands; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Irv Kaage prided himself on knowing his customers
7by name and which newspaper they wanted, and his newsstand was
8one of the last surviving newspaper stands of what used to be
9at every corner in the city; and
 
10    WHEREAS, After saving enough for a down payment on a house,
11Irv and Muriel Kaage planted roots and raised three children,
12and all three Kaage children got their first job experience
13working at one of the family newsstands; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Muriel Kaage, also known as "Mern" because of her
15resemblance to actress Myrna Loy, never lost her flair for
16style and fashion, favoring hats for herself and making sure
17her husband wore an outfit matching her own if they were going
18out; and
 
19    WHEREAS, It was the Kaage family that kept customers
20coming, as even in a digital news age people wanted to support
21them and their business; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, In 2012, an honorary street sign designating
2Kaage's Corner was erected at the intersection of Northwest
3Highway and Oliphant Avenue, where their newsstand was located;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, Irv and Muriel Kaage saw beauty in everything and
6appreciated and inspired others with their love of people; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Irv and Muriel Kaage were the loving parents of
8Irvin L. (Laurel) Kaage III, Michael (Karen) Kaage, and
9Patricia (the late Edward) Yauch; the proud grandparents of
10Kathrine (Daniel) Esposito, Irvin L. (Claire) Kaage IV, Kristen
11Kaage, Christopher Kaage, and Kent (Grace) Kaage; the
12great-grandparents of Aellah Kaage, Barjona Kaage, Irvin L.
13Kaage V, Alexander Esposito, Ryan Esposito, Thurlow Kaage,
14Elisabeth Esposito, and Soren Kaage; and the dear sister of
15Arlene (the late Henry) Kraus; therefore, be it
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
17HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
18we mourn the passing of Irvin "Irv" Jr. and Muriel Kaage and
19extend our condolences to their family, friends, the entire
20Edison Park community, and all who knew and loved them; and be
21it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
2presented to the family of Irv and Muriel Kaage as an
3expression of our deepest sympathy and in appreciation of their
4devotion to their community.