HR0628 LRB096 14676 GRL 29520 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Francis
4 John Taylor of Virginia, who passed away on September 19, 2009;
5 and
 
6     WHEREAS, Francis Taylor was born on June 26, 1923 in
7 Springfield; he was the son of John H. and Edna E. (Taylor)
8 Taylor; he married Dorothy Loring on November 28, 1953 at
9 Ebenezer United Methodist Church near Rushville; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Francis Taylor graduated from Virginia High
11 School in 1940; he then earned his degree in agricultural
12 economics from the University of Minnesota in 1945; after
13 graduation, he briefly worked at General Mills prior to
14 beginning his farming career; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Francis Taylor formerly served as president of the
16 Beardstown Jaycees, president of the Illinois Jaycees, and vice
17 president of the U.S. Jaycees; in 1961, he was appointed to the
18 Illinois State Fair Board and later served as an assistant to
19 the Illinois Director of Agriculture; from 1964 until 1968, he
20 worked as an assistant to Illinois Governors Otto Kerner and
21 Sam Shapiro; he later served as an assistant to U.S. Senator
22 Adlai Stevenson from 1970 to 1980; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Francis Taylor formerly served on the
2 Jacksonville Journal-Courier's editorial board; he volunteered
3 for several water and wetlands committees and advisory boards,
4 which included his election to the position of president of the
5 Illinois Valley Flood Control Association; in addition, he
6 served as one of the members of the 20-member National Wetlands
7 Policy Advisory Board, which was chaired by New Jersey Governor
8 Thomas Kean; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Francis Taylor was a life member of the Illinois
10 State Historical Society and served two terms as a director of
11 the organization; he was on the advisory board of the Lincoln
12 legal papers; he served two terms as a trustee for Lincoln
13 College in Lincoln and volunteered as a director of the Cass
14 County Historical and Genealogical Society; he was also a
15 member of the Chandlerville Lodge 724 A.F. & A.M. and the Ansar
16 Shrine Temple in Springfield; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Francis Taylor was preceded in death by his wife,
18 Dorothy; his brother, Cheslea Taylor; and his sister, Marjorie
19 Taylor; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Francis Taylor is survived by his nephews, C.
21 Charles Taylor (wife, Judy), Henry Chandler Taylor, and William
22 J. Taylor (wife, Teri); his several great-nieces,

 

 

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1 great-nephews, great-great-nieces, and great-great-nephews;
2 and his sister-in-law, Mary Louise; therefore, be it
 
3     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
5 mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of
6 Francis John Taylor; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to the family of Francis Taylor as an expression of
9 our sympathy.