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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Robert Carr "Bob" Lanphier III of
4Springfield and of Glen Arbor, Michigan, who passed away on
5December 30, 2023; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Bob Lanphier was born to Robert C. Lanphier Jr.
7and Mary Catherine Lanphier in London, England on November 13,
81932; he attended elementary school at the Highgate School for
9Boys in London before his parents, who were originally from
10Springfield, had the family return to the United States in
11August 1939; he then attended the Arnold School and Butler
12Grade School in Springfield; he spent one year at Springfield
13High School before attending The Choate School in Wallingford,
14Connecticut; he then spent a post-graduate year at the Harrow
15School outside London before attending Yale University in New
16Haven, Connecticut, where he earned degrees in mathematics,
17electrical engineering, and industrial administration; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Bob Lanphier entered the Manufacturing Training
19Program at the General Electric Company in 1956 before
20returning to Springfield and joining the Sangamo Electric
21Company, a firm founded by his grandfather; he then joined the
22DICKEY-john Corporation, a start-up company, as chief
23executive officer in 1967; over the course of his career, the

 

 

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1company grew from one employee to over 1,000 employees, making
2it one of the largest employers in the State of Illinois; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Bob Lanphier was elected to the National Academy
4of Engineering in 1992; he served as chairman for a number of
5business-related organizations, including the Farm and
6Industrial Equipment Institute, the American Society of
7Agriculture Engineers, and the Future Farmers of America; he
8was on the advisory boards of the Colleges of Engineering,
9Agriculture, and Finance at the University of Illinois; he
10also served on the board of directors of Memorial Medical
11Center in Springfield for 28 years, including as chairman; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Bob Lanphier enjoyed organizing educational
13experiences for his grandchildren and visiting them at their
14respective colleges annually, and he loved spending time at
15his family home on Glen Lake in Glen Arbor, Michigan; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Bob Lanphier was preceded in death by his
17sisters, Jeanne Lanphier Lawrence and Nancy Lanphier Chapin;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, Bob Lanphier is survived by his partner, Shelley
20Walter; his children, Robert C. (Penny Stradal/Linda Hoch)
21Lanphier IV, Edward Oliver (Cameron McClellan) Lanphier II,
22Jonathon MacHarg (Laura Rose) Lanphier Sr., and Lillie

 

 

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1Margaret (John M.) Hawn; 13 grandchildren; 11
2great-grandchildren; his sister, Mary L. (Roger) Collins; and
3numerous nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
5ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
6Robert Carr "Bob" Lanphier III and extend our sincere
7condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
8him; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to the family of Bob Lanphier as an expression of our
11deepest sympathy.