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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Richard Carol "R.C." Smith, who passed
4away on September 2, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith was born to Earl Edward and Sylvia
6Dickson Smith on January 28, 1934 and lived most of his life as
7a sixth generation resident of Long Creek Township in Macon
8County; he graduated from Mt. Zion High School in 1952 and
9attended Hannibal-LaGrange College; he served in the U.S. Air
10Force during the Korean War and spent two years on Okinawa; he
11married Wanda Jones on June 13, 1964; and
 
12    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith worked for the Wabash, the Norfolk and
13Western, and the Norfolk Southern railroads, retiring after 39
14years; he then served for over eight years as executive
15director of the Decatur-Area Labor Management Committee; and
 
16    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith was elected as the assistant township
17supervisor for Long Creek Township in 1961 and then served as a
18member of the Macon County Board for 28 years; in 1971, he was
19elected as Mt. Zion Township Supervisor, the first Democrat to
20be elected township supervisor there in over 20 years; he was
21the chairman of the Macon County Board for one term from 1985
22to 1986 and served five terms as vice chairman; he also served

 

 

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1a partial term as Long Creek Township Assessor in 1989; he was
2elected as Long Creek Township Clerk in 1997 and most recently
3served in that position; and
 
4    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith served as precinct committeeman for the
5Democratic Party for over 50 years, starting in 1961; he first
6started handing out his well-known pocket calendars with his
7first run for political office in 1961 and did so every year
8since; he was an active member of the Macon County Democratic
9Central Committee; he served as chairman of the Long Creek
10Township Democrats for over 30 years and was an active
11committeeman for Long Creek #8; and
 
12    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith was a member of the Macon County #708
13Mental Health Board for many years and the Macon County
14Mosquito Abatement District Board, where he served as
15president; he was a member of the board of directors of the
16Township Officials of Illinois from 2005 to 2012 and served as
17a director and officer for the Township Clerks of Illinois for
18several years; he was a trustee for the Long Creek Fire
19Protection District for several years and a member of the N&W
20Fellowship Club, where he served as president for five years;
21and
 
22    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith was a member of the Illinois Old Time
23Fiddlers Association for over 30 years and was honored to serve

 

 

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1as master of ceremonies for the Illinois State Fiddle Contest
2for five years; he was a member of the Jefferson-Jackson Club
3and TOPS Club 610; he was a member and past president of the
4Township Officials of Macon County; he was a retiree member of
5the Wabash Hospital Association Board for eight years and
6served as alternate member for six years; and
 
7    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith was a member of the International Order
8of Odd Fellows Lodge #300 in Mt. Zion for over 50 years and
9Ionic Lodge #312, AF & AM for 57 years; he was extremely
10honored to be chosen as the grand marshal of the Decatur Labor
11Day Parade in 1997; he was a member of the Charles Parlier
12Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association DAV No. 17
13Decatur; he was an active member and president of the Long
14Creek senior citizens organization and enjoyed helping set up
15programs for their lunches; and
 
16    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith was a member and local leader of the
17National Association of Retired and Veteran Railway Employees;
18he served on the Decatur-Macon County Economic Development
19Corporation, The Decatur Advantage, Inc., and as a member of
20the board of directors for the Decatur-Macon County senior
21citizens organization; and
 
22    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith was very proud and thankful to be named
23an official "Kentucky Colonel" of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

 

 

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1by Kentucky Governor Wallace G. Wilkinson in 1989; and
 
2    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith was a member of Tabernacle Baptist
3Church, where he served as a deacon for over 40 years; he was
4named deacon emeritus in January of 2004; he served as an adult
5men's Sunday school teacher for over 45 years; and
 
6    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith was preceded in death by his parents
7and his son, Randy E. Smith; and
 
8    WHEREAS, R.C. Smith is survived by his wife of 55 years,
9Wanda; his son, Bryan E. Smith; his daughter, Patty (Jerry)
10Rodgers; his grandchildren, Kayleigh Smith, Kelcie Smith,
11Brett Rodgers, and Nicole DeBolt; and three
12great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
14ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
15Richard Carol "R.C." Smith and extend our sincere condolences
16to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be
17it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19presented to the family of R.C. Smith as an expression of our
20deepest sympathy.