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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Marvin
4E. Perzee, who passed away on July 17, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Marvin Perzee was born in Watseka to Nellie
6(Koets) Perzee on October 9, 1942; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Marvin Perzee and his wife, Sharon, grew up
8around agriculture and county fairs and were both heavily
9involved with the Ashkum Chargers, their local 4-H club;
10Marvin was a volunteer for the Chargers for five decades; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Marvin Perzee was first elected to the Iroquois
12County Agricultural and 4-H Club Fair Board in 1967 and later
13served as president for 48 years; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Marvin Perzee had an unrivaled knowledge of the
15inner workings of the Iroquois County Fair; during his tenure,
16the fairgrounds built multiple new buildings and expanded the
17fair to become one of the premier county fairs in Illinois; he
18could even name how many ash trees were on the fairgrounds; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Marvin Perzee held many leadership roles in the
20Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs, including Northern

 

 

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1Zone President, director, and president; he dedicated 40 years
2of service in the role of legislative chair; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Marvin Perzee was a tireless and highly
4successful advocate at the state level for the importance of
5adequate funding for county fairs to not only serve as
6economic engines for rural communities across the State but
7also to cultivate for the younger generations an interest in
8agricultural careers; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Because of Marvin Perzee's vast knowledge and
10expertise in the workings of county fairs, he was appointed to
11serve on the Illinois Amusement Ride and Attraction Safety
12Board; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Together with his wife, Sharon, Marvin Perzee was
14instrumental in advocating for issues affecting farmers and
15agriculture and was successful at lobbying for legislation in
16Springfield, such as exempting farm machinery from sales
17taxes, as well as increasing fair funding for all Illinois
18county fairs, 4-H, and vocational agricultural sectional
19fairs; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Marvin Perzee served as the Iroquois County
21Republican Chairman and as a member of the Agricultural
22Advisory Board under former Congressman Tom Ewing; he was

 

 

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1honored by Prairie Farmer Magazine as one of four Master
2Farmers in 1999; he received a number of other awards during
3his life in recognition of his service; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Marvin Perzee was preceded in death by his
5mother, one brother, one daughter, one grandson, and one
6niece; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Marvin Perzee is survived by his wife, Sharon;
8his two brothers; his daughter; his two sons-in-law; his eight
9grandchildren; his six great-grandchildren; and his two nieces
10and nephews; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
12HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
13we mourn the passing of Marvin E. Perzee and extend our sincere
14condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
15him; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That we declare May 20, 2021 as "Marvin Perzee
17County Fair Day" in the State of Illinois to honor his
18significant contributions to the Iroquois County Fair and
19agriculture; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to the family of Marvin Perzee as an expression of

 

 

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1our deepest sympathy.