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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 Ruth
4Colby of Mokena, who passed away on October 15, 2023; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby earned a bachelor's degree from
6Northwestern University, a master's degree from New York
7University, and an MBA from the University of Chicago,
8specializing in finance; she married Donald M. DeFrank; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby served as president and CEO of Silver
10Cross Hospital; during her six-year tenure, her extraordinary
11leadership earned Silver Cross Hospital national recognition
12in safety, quality, and experience, as evidenced by the
13hospital ranking as one of the 100 Top Hospitals 11 times,
14earning a 5-Star Rating by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
15Services, and receiving 17 Straight A's for Safety from the
16Leapfrog Group; under her leadership, Silver Cross Hospital
17opened Will County's first and only Level 3 Neonatal Intensive
18Care Unit, introduced an open-heart surgery program, and
19championed the opening of the Midwest Institute for Robotic
20Surgery; she forged many partnerships with leading
21Chicago-academic health systems, including the Shirley Ryan
22AbilityLab for inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation
23services, University of Chicago Medicine for cancer services

 

 

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1and neurosciences, the Rush University Medical Center for lung
2surgery, the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital for
3pediatric and neonatal services, and US HealthVest to build
4the 110-bed Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby was deeply engaged in community
6service, including serving as president of the Society for
7Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, an American
8Hospital Association membership group, chair of the Will
9County Center for Economic Development, board member of the
10Will County Children's Advocacy Center, and the chair-elect of
11the Illinois Health and Hospital Association Board; she was
12appointed to the American Hospital Association's Regional
13Planning Board for Region 5 and was a member of the American
14Hospital Association Membership Group, the United Way of Will
15County Pillars Society, the Rotary Club of Joliet, and the
16Economic Club of Chicago; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby received the national award for
18Individual Personal Achievement in 2009, the Athena Award from
19the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce in 2021, and the
20Distinguished Citizen Award from the Rainbow Council of the
21Boy Scouts; she was named the New Lenox Citizen of the Year by
22the New Lenox Chamber of Commerce in 2023, recognized as a
23Notable Woman in Healthcare and a Notable Woman Executive over
24age 50 by Crain's Chicago Business in 2019, and was honored by

 

 

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1Crain's Chicago Business as a Notable Healthcare Executive;
2and
 
3    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby was a beloved wife, loving mother and
4aunt, and a dear sister and sister-in-law; she was known to her
5community as a healthcare visionary through her work both
6professionally and personally; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby is survived by her husband; her son,
8David (Becky Riffkin) Chodak; her sister, Judy (Steven)
9Dolins; her sister-in-law, Sue DeFrank; her nieces, Maddie
10Dolins and Gabi Kastel; and her nephew, 1st Lieutenant U.S.
11Navy Dr. Michael (Meredith) Beeler; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we mourn the passing of Ruth Colby and extend our sincere
15condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved
16her; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Ruth Colby as an expression of our
19deepest sympathy.