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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Mason R.
4 Absher of Marion, who passed away on September 9, 2009; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Mason, one of nine children, was born August 20,
6 1919, in Marion, to John R. and Kate (Beers) Absher; on July
7 25, 1941, he married Imogene (Fairchild) Absher; and
 
8     WHEREAS, He served his country honorably during World War
9 II for more than four and a half years; prior to being drafted
10 into the United States Army, he taught at "Center", a one-room
11 country school in Williamson County near Corinth; upon his
12 discharge from the Army, he resumed his teaching career in
13 Energy and served as school principal until 1948, when he left
14 the field of education; and
 
15     WHEREAS, He founded Absher Motor Sales in 1947 and later
16 was awarded the Nash and Rambler franchise and later expanded
17 into other franchise lines; he and his wife were active in
18 retail automobile business until their retirements in 1984;
19 their love for the business was passed on to their son and
20 their grandsons; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Mason was a lifetime member of Fellowship Lodge 89

 

 

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1 Masonic Lodge, a Shriner of Ainad Shrine Temple, a member of
2 New Hope Church in Marion, and a charter member of the Marion
3 Kiwanis Club; he was awarded the coveted "Lifetime Achievement
4 Award" by the Marion Chamber of Commerce in 1998; he served on
5 the Marion Chamber of Commerce board of directors from 1982 to
6 1984; he also served on the board of directors of the Bank of
7 Egypt for many years and later served on the Banterra Bank
8 Board; and
 
9     WHEREAS, He will be remembered for his ability to remember
10 birthdays; he took great pleasure in contacting people on their
11 birthdays and bringing them delight on their special days; and
 
12     WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his mother and father;
13 his brothers, Leslie, Clarence, Charlie, and Maurice; and his
14 sisters, Vivian Absher and Lavina Siedler; and
 
15     WHEREAS, He is survived by his wife, Imogene Absher; his
16 son, Bill Absher and wife, Sandy; his daughter, Betty Jean
17 Bowles and husband, Ed; his grandsons, David Arnold and wife,
18 Kim, Michael Absher and wife, Cheryl, and Colonel Kevin Fox of
19 the United States Air Force and his wife, Linda; his
20 great-grandchildren, Jessica Arnold, Jarrod Arnold, Jordan
21 Arnold, Cole Absher, Reed Absher, and Will Absher; his
22 brothers, Orie Absher and David Absher; his many nieces and
23 nephews; and his longtime close friend, Earl Parks; therefore,

 

 

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1 be it
 
2     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
4 mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Mason
5 Absher; and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7 presented to the family of Mason Absher as a symbol of our
8 sincere sympathy.