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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly are
3saddened to learn of the death of former Illinois State
4Representative Joel D. Brunsvold of Milan, who passed away on
5September 7, 2010; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Joel Brunsvold was born on February 26, 1942, in
7Mason City, Iowa; he was the son of Burnell and Esther
8Brunsvold; he married Barbara L. Bashaw on February 22, 1964,
9in Rock Island; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Joel Brunsvold graduated from Rock Island High
11School in 1960, where he was a football and baseball standout;
12he then earned his bachelor's degree from Augustana College in
131964, where he lettered in both football and baseball; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Joel Brunsvold had a distinguished career in
15education; he began his teaching career at Coyne Center Grade
16School; he later moved to Sherrard High School, where he taught
17science and coached football and track; during his teaching
18career, he was elected to serve as a Trustee for the Village of
19Milan; he was then elected to serve as Mayor of the Village of
20Milan in 1977, where he served for 2 successful terms until
211983; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, In 1982, Joel Brunsvold was elected to serve in
2the Illinois House of Representatives, where he served with
3dignity and integrity for 11 terms; as a State Representative,
4he chaired the House Agriculture and Conservation and
5Elementary and Secondary Education Committees and was
6appointed by the Speaker of the House to serve as the
7Democratic Caucus Chairman and Assistant Majority Leader;
8during this time, he also founded and co-chaired the Illinois
9Legislative Sportsman's Caucus, an organization that raised
10money and awareness for outdoor activities for disabled youth;
11in 2003, he was selected to serve as Director of the Illinois
12Department of Natural Resources, where he served until his
13retirement in 2005; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Joel Brunsvold was a member of St. Matthew
15Lutheran Church in Milan and numerous state and local sports
16and wildlife organizations; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Joel Brunsvold was preceded in death by his
18parents; his brother, Jerome; his father-in-law, Earl Bashaw;
19and his brother-in-law, Dennis Bashaw; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Joel Brunsvold is survived by his beloved wife of
2146 years, Barbara; his sons and daughter-in-law, Timothy Joel
22Brunsvold and Theodore J. and Elizabeth Brunsvold; his
23granddaughters, Lauren and Grace Brunsvold; his brothers and

 

 

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1sisters-in-law, Bruce and Penny Brunsvold and Brian and JoAnne
2Brunsvold; his mother-in-law, Virginia Bashaw; his
3sister-in-law, Josie Bashaw; and his nephews and nieces and
4their spouses, Justin, Lisa, and Kari Brunsvold, Douglas
5(Christie) Brunsvold, Jason Brunsvold, Abby (Ronnie) Mentarbo,
6and Anna Bashaw; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Joel Brunsvold will be remembered by all who knew
8and loved him as a dedicated legislator, a devoted family man,
9an avid sportsman, and a loyal friend and public servant;
10therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
13SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we mourn, along with his family
14and friends, the passing of our former friend and colleague,
15Joel Brunsvold; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to the family of Joel Brunsvold as an expression of
18our sympathy.