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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Elaine L. Rundle-Schwark of
4Springfield, who passed away on October 5, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Elaine Rundle-Schwark was born to Richard and
6Eleanor Rundle on December 8, 1945; she was educated in the
7Boston public schools and graduated with a degree in education
8from Boston State Teachers College (University of
9Massachusetts-Boston) in 1968; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Elaine Rundle-Schwark became the foster parent to
11two sisters, Ruthann and Wanda Montgomery, in June of 1984;
12the following year she legally adopted them; she married
13Stephen Schwark on October 9, 1987, and the family moved to
14Springfield in 1988 when Stephen accepted a teaching position
15at Sangamon State University (University of
16Illinois-Springfield); and
 
17    WHEREAS, Elaine Rundle-Schwark was a fifth-grade teacher
18at John Marshall Elementary School in Boston for over two
19decades; she received numerous awards for her excellence in
20teaching and was a demanding but effective teacher who
21students came to love; while teaching full time, she completed
22a master's degree in education focused on counselor training;

 

 

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1in the 1980s, she began work towards a doctorate in education;
2after moving to Springfield in 1988, she worked with students
3in the 5th grade at St. Agnes School as a case study for her
4dissertation, which she defended in the Spring of 1992; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Elaine Rundle-Schwark began to teach part time in
6Sangamon State University's Applied Study Term, an internship
7program, after completing her Ed.D.; she soon became assistant
8director, and from 2003 to 2009, she served as director; she
9remained a faculty member for almost 20 years, retiring in
10August of 2009 and ending a remarkable 40-year career in
11education; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Elaine Rundle-Schwark and her husband especially
13loved taking their grandchildren on vacations; she loved to
14decorate and for 12 years lived in a near century old Victorian
15home in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston; in 1999, she
16designed the house that she and Steve had built; she was a
17gifted genealogist and produced books on the history of both
18her family and her husband's family; she was also a woman of
19great faith and a long-time member of the congregation of
20Cherry Hills Church; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Elaine Rundle-Schwark was preceded in death by
22her daughter, Ruthie, and her sisters, Martha and Anita
23Borrell; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Elaine Rundle-Schwark is survived by her husband
2of 34 years, Steve; her daughter, Wanda; her grandchildren,
3Alair, Mason, and Alexander "Xander"; her sister, Evelyn
4(Steve Pedro); and her brother, Richard (Judy); therefore, be
5it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
8Elaine L. Rundle-Schwark and extend our sincere condolences to
9her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
10further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the family of Elaine Rundle-Schwark as an
13expression of our deepest sympathy.