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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of B.J. Hackler of St. Joseph, who passed
4away on September 7, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, B.J. Hackler was born to Olen and Frances Hackler
6in Ridge Farm on January 21, 1938; he graduated from Ridge Farm
7High School and then graduated from beauty school in Danville;
8he married Dixie Myers on October 27, 1961; he served as a
9cryptographer in the U.S. Army; and
 
10    WHEREAS, B.J. Hackler became part owner of the beauty shop
11in Ridge Farm; he later opened his own shop, B.J.'s Beauty
12Shop, in St. Joseph in 1964; his career spanned over 60 years;
13he retired in December 2017; and
 
14    WHEREAS, While working as a beautician in both Ridge Farm
15and St. Joseph, B.J. Hackler completed training to become a
16volunteer firefighter; he served as a village board trustee of
17St. Joseph for 10 years before running for village
18president/mayor in 1980, and he served in that capacity for 36
19years; and
 
20    WHEREAS, B.J. Hackler became active in the Central
21Illinois Municipal Officials Association, where he served as a

 

 

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1member and then president; he was then appointed to the
2Illinois Municipal League Board, where he later served as
3president and past president; he was also appointed to the
4national EPA committee; and
 
5    WHEREAS, B.J. Hackler was committed to his faith and was
6an active member of the St. Joseph United Methodist Church; he
7volunteered in several organizations, including the church's
8mission work, the Feed the Need program and Miss Piggy's Pork
9Palace, and the St. Joseph American Legion Post 634; and
 
10    WHEREAS, B.J. Hackler had several interests; he was a
11member of the Champaign Ski Club, and he competed in his first
12downhill race at age 50; he was an avid fisherman; alongside
13family and friends, he enjoyed traveling to a number of
14locations, including Europe, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, the New
15England area, the Western U.S., and the Hackler family reunion
16in Virginia; he also enjoyed collecting Abraham Lincoln
17pieces, reading Lincoln history, and elephants; he loved
18parades and most recently enjoyed decorating his golf cart for
19any event; and
 
20    WHEREAS, B.J. Hackler loved life and had many friends; he
21will be remembered as someone who always left others with a
22smile on their faces for having met him; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, B.J. Hackler was preceded in death by his wife,
2Dixie; his parents; a brother; his in-laws; and his grandson,
3Carson Baker; and
 
4    WHEREAS, B.J. Hackler was the father of Traci Jarvis
5(Greg) and Tonya Hackler-Bayler (Oscar); the grandfather of
6Kiersten Jarvis (Jeremy Cantor), Ross Baker (Rosie), Sean
7Jarvis, and Sydney Meltzer (Daniel); and the great-grandfather
8of Addie Baker, Clark Baker, Mark Baker, and Ewan Cantor;
9therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12B.J. Hackler and extend our sincere condolences to his family,
13friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the family of B.J. Hackler as an expression of our
16deepest sympathy.