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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of James "Jim" G. Turpin, Voice of the
4Illini from 1960-2002 and longtime host of the WDWS Penny for
5Your Thoughts radio call-in show, who passed away on April 10,
62022; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Jim Turpin was born to Burl and Martha Turpin in
8Olney on February 26, 1932; he graduated from East Richland
9High School in 1950; he married Louise Van Matre on August 16,
101952; in 1953, he was drafted and worked in radio operations
11for the Armed Forces Radio and Television division in South
12Korea and Japan; he finished his radio-televison journalism
13degree at the University of Illinois in 1961; and
 
14    WHEREAS, After the war, Jim Turpin worked for WDWS,
15describing prep action and University of Illinois football and
16basketball games; he also did play-by-play for WILL in Urbana;
17in 1962, he also started working at WTAX in Springfield;
18during his time in Springfield, he also worked as public
19affairs director for the Illinois Oil Council, president of
20S.P. Wright Advertising Agency, public affairs director for
21the Illinois Council for Branch Banking, and vice president
22for public affairs at Sangamon State University; he became
23vice president and general manager of WDWS/WHMS radio back in

 

 

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1Champaign for a number of years, while continuing to do
2play-by-play for some exciting and memorable football and
3basketball games on the Illini Sports Network; he also hosted
4the "Monday Night Coaches Show" on WDWS for a time and was the
5co-host, along with Loren Tate, of "Saturday Sportsline" for
6many years; he was the longtime host of WDWS' popular
7community call-in show "Penny for Your Thoughts" and became
8known as the "Voice of the Illini"; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Jim Turpin served as emcee or master of
10ceremonies for various events, such as the Champaign Rotary
11Club's Illini football banquet, the Illinois Football Coaches
12Association annual Hall of Fame banquet, the summertime Ice
13Cream and Independence performance at the Virginia Theatre,
14and the WDWS/WHMS Scholar Athlete banquet for area high school
15scholar-athletes, which he also founded; he supported
16community and youth theater by attending hundreds of shows
17locally and featuring numerous show casts on the "Penny for
18Your Thoughts" program to help promote their performances; his
19other community service included serving board terms with the
20Disabled Citizens Foundation and the Community Foundation of
21East Central Illinois, serving as past president of the
22American Business Club, serving as UWCC Campaign co-chair
23alongside his daughter, and serving as host for the Christmas
24Community Dinner at First Christian Church for 10 years; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Jim Turpin was a member of the Champaign-Urbana
2Advertising Club and the Illinois Broadcasting Association; he
3was an elder of First Presbyterian Church of Champaign; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Jim Turpin's professional honors included
5receiving the Broadcast Pioneer Award by the Illinois
6Broadcasters Association, being a two-time recipient of the
7IBA award for downstate Illinois' best play-by-play announcer,
8being inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches
9Association Hall of Fame media category, receiving the 2001
10Chamber of Commerce's "Most Valuable Citizen" in Champaign
11County, and being named an honorary member of the Varsity "I"
12Association at the University of Illinois; in 2018, he
13received the United Way of Champaign County's Spirit of Caring
14Award; he was later awarded lifetime membership in the Illini
15Quarterback Club football booster group and the Illini
16Rebounders basketball booster group; he enjoyed lifetime press
17credentials for all UI athletic events; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Jim Turpin loved spending time with his family;
19he also enjoyed cycling and playing tennis; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Jim Turpin was preceded in death by his wife of 67
21years, Louise; his parents; his sister, Marge DeMarse; and
22numerous nephews, nieces, and good friends; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Jim Turpin is survived by his children, Chris
2(Jim Lukeman), Dan (Suzanne Cross), and Jayne (Joe DeLuce);
3his grandchildren, Carly (Jason Sakowski), Kendall (Nigel
4Yin), Shayne, Quinn, Trey, Jenna, and Jordan; his
5great-grandsons, Luka and Ozzy; and his sisters, Jody Wood and
6Sue Engle; 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
9James "Jim" G. Turpin and extend our sincere condolences to
10his family, 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 Jim Turpin as an expression of our
14deepest sympathy.