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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of John G. Vanko of St. Charles, who
4passed away on April 12, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, John Vanko was born in Streator to John and
6Louise (Rezen) Vanko in 1937; he graduated from Streator High
7School in 1955, where he was a standout basketball player and
8held the school scoring record for 10 years; he declined a
9tryout with the Chicago White Sox farm team and attended
10Western Illinois University on a basketball scholarship, where
11he received his Bachelor of Science in 1959 and his Master of
12Science in 1960; he earned his Doctor of Education from Loyola
13University in 1973; and
 
14    WHEREAS, John Vanko taught history and mathematics and
15then later served as a counselor, dean, assistant principal,
16and principal at Joliet West High School; he became the
17Associate Superintendent for Community Unit School District
18303 in St. Charles before assuming the position of
19Superintendent in 1991; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Under John Vanko's leadership, St. Charles High
21School received the 1994-1996 Blue Ribbon Excellence Award
22from the U.S. Department of Education; as Superintendent, he

 

 

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1was instrumental in helping pass a $44 million referendum to
2build Wredling Middle School and a ninth grade building on the
3Dunham Campus at St. Charles High School; and
 
4    WHEREAS, John Vanko retired in 1996 and joined Aurora
5University, where he taught graduate level education classes
6and coordinated the administrative internship program for the
7training of future school administrators; he taught for 13
8years at Aurora University and retired in 2008 as Associate
9Professor Emeritus at the College of Education; and
 
10    WHEREAS, John Vanko was involved in many community
11activities; he served on the Delnor Community Hospital Board
12of Directors for 10 years and volunteered his time with the
13United Way, the Rotary Club of St. Charles, where he served as
14President, and with youth sports organizations; and
 
15    WHEREAS, John Vanko was avid golfer and celebrated four
16holes-in-one and, in one of his last rounds, shot his age of
1781; he traveled extensively throughout Europe with Martha many
18times, including golf trips to Scotland and Ireland; he
19treasured memories of many other European travels, where he
20enjoyed local culture, cuisine, and architecture, as well as
21visits to basilicas, cathedrals, and museums; he was a
22frequent patron of sporting events, the Lyric Opera, and the
23Chicago Symphony Orchestra; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, John Vanko is survived by his wife of 63 years,
2Martha (Pickerill) Vanko; his children, Kimberly Millet and
3Kenneth (Karyn) Vanko; his brother, Richard (Nancy) Vanko; his
4grandchildren, Austin Millet, Ross (Noriko) Millet, York
5Millet, Langdon Vanko, and Lincoln Vanko; and his
6great-grandson, Orson Millet; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
8ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
9John G. Vanko and extend our sincere condolences to his
10family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
11further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to the family of John Vanko as an expression of our
14deepest sympathy.