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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Stanley M. Freehling of Highland Park,
4who passed away on September 20, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Stanley Freehling was born in the Hyde Park
6neighborhood of Chicago; he attended the University of Chicago
7and received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of
8Stockholm; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Stanley Freehling was a Senior Partner with
10Freehling and Company, a New York Stock Exchange firm, for
11decades; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Stanley Freehling was devoted to the civic life of
13Chicago; he served as a Life Trustee of the University of
14Chicago and as a trustee of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the
15John G. Shedd Aquarium, Lake Forest College, and the Chicago
16Public Library; he was instrumental in identifying and funding
17many works of public art in Chicago; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Stanley Freehling's greatest passion was for the
19arts; his long association with the Art Institute began in
201950, when he volunteered to serve as treasurer; he continued
21to serve on many boards and committees; more than 250 works in

 

 

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1the permanent collection are credited to him and his wife;
2their connoisseurship and devotion to works on paper were
3recognized by the Art Institute in 2008 with the exhibition
4Collecting for Chicago: Prints, Drawings and Patronage; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Stanley Freehling raised millions of dollars for
6many venerable institutions, including the Ravinia Festival,
7the Arts Club of Chicago, and the Goodman Theatre; he served as
8Chairman of Ravinia, President of the Arts Club, a Life Trustee
9of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Chairman of the Sustaining
10Fellows of the Art Institute; he served as a trustee of the
11Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Hubbard Street Dance
12Company; he served as the Chairman of the Illinois Arts Council
13and as a member of the Chicago Theatre Group, the National
14Corporate Theatre Fund, and Sadler's Wells Theatre Association
15in London; and
 
16    WHEREAS, As the Founding Chairman of the Goodman Theatre,
17Stanley Freehling launched a two million dollar campaign in the
181970s to make the Theatre a self-governed institution,
19independent of the Art Institute; he started the first capital
20fund drive at Ravinia to raise more than 2.2 million to rebuild
21the Pavilion stage, enlarge the orchestra pit, and install a
22new sound system; he also guided the establishment of the
23park's collection of outdoor sculpture; Ravinia held a special
24place in his heart, as it was where he met his future wife,

 

 

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1Joan Steif; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Stanley Freehling received many honors and
3awards, including the Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Award, the
4Harvard Club of Chicago Award, the Grant Park Symphony Special
5Award, the Rosary College Bravo Award, the Sydney Yates Arts
6Advocacy Award, the American Jewish Committee's Human Rights
7Award, the Anti-Defamation League Distinguished Service Award,
8the Friends of Literature Award, the first Governor's Award for
9Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Illinois, the
10International Visitor's Center Gold Medallion Award, the
11United States Marine Corps Distinguished Service Award, and the
12Harold Washington History Maker Award for Distinction in Public
13Service; in 1985, Ronald Reagan appointed him to the
14President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities; he was the
15recipient of the Joseph Jefferson Award for Life Achievement in
16the Theatre and the Merit Music Program's Alice S. Pfaelzer
17Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Stanley Freehling was a member of many clubs,
19including the Mid-Day Club and the Commercial Club; he was a
20lifelong member of the Lake Shore Country Club; he was an avid
21golfer and sports fan and loved the Chicago Bears and the
22Chicago White Sox; he and Joan were active travelers and
23visited every continent throughout their decades together; he
24especially enjoyed a dry Beefeater martini, a good meal, and

 

 

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1the company of good friends; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Stanley Freehling was preceded in death by his
3wife of 64 years, Joan, and his brothers, Julius and Herbert;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, Stanley Freehling is survived by his daughters,
6Maggie Freehling Phillips and Elizabeth (Debbie) Weidner; his
7son, Robert Freehling; Dominique Parducci; his sons-in-law,
8Joseph Weidner and Scott Phillips; his grandchildren, Benjamin
9Weidner, Sam Phillips, Max Phillips, Rosalind Parducci, Daniel
10Freehling; his great-grandchild, Noah Freehling; his
11sister-in-law, Caryl Freehling; his nephews, Jim and Tom
12Freehling; his niece, Julie Frodl; his caregivers, Verginia
13Maeva and Maya Tonina; and his indispensable friend and
14assistant, Karen Love; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
16ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
17Stanley M. Freehling and extend our sincere condolences to his
18family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
19further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to the family of Stanley Freehling as an expression
22of our deepest sympathy.