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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Edward W. Kowal, formerly of Glen Ellyn
4 and Wheaton, who passed away on January 26, 2010; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Edward Kowal was born on October 13, 1924; he was
6 born and raised in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood and
7 graduated from Crane Technical High School; and
 
8     WHEREAS, In 1942, Edward Kowal passed up a basketball
9 scholarship at Purdue University to join the United States
10 Marine Corps; during World War II, he served in the Pacific
11 theatre as a radio operator, navigator, and rear gunner in
12 airstrikes over the Marshall Islands; he was later awarded the
13 Air Medal for his meritorious service; and
 
14     WHEREAS, After his military discharge in 1946, Edward Kowal
15 was employed with a Chicago law firm while attending Wright
16 College; in 1951, he graduated from John Marshall Law School;
17 and
 
18     WHEREAS, After graduating from college, Edward Kowal began
19 in private practice, working for a small law firm in Chicago;
20 in 1964, he moved to Wheaton and joined the office of the
21 DuPage County state's attorney, eventually becoming the first

 

 

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1 assistant state's attorney; and
 
2     WHEREAS, In 1974, Edward Kowal was appointed to serve as an
3 associate judge; he served in every division of the DuPage
4 courts as an associate judge; in 1984, he was appointed to
5 serve as a full circuit judge; he was elected to the post in
6 1986 and was retained in 1992; as associate judge, he presided
7 over 3 trials and numerous courtroom hearings involving one of
8 the most infamous Chicago-area crimes of the last 30 years, the
9 1983 abduction, rape, and murder of 10-year-old Jeanine
10 Nicarico; and
 
11     WHEREAS, In 1993, Edward Kowal was elected as a chief
12 circuit court judge; he retired in 1995, having served 21 years
13 on the bench; as chief judge, he appointed a special prosecutor
14 to scrutinize elements of the investigation into the killing of
15 Jeanine Nicarico; and
 
16     WHEREAS, In 1986, Edward Kowal was named the DuPage County
17 Bar Association's "Man of the Year"; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Edward Kowal was preceded in death by his first
19 wife, Mary; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Edward Kowal is survived by his wife, Mary Lou;
21 his sons, Conrad Kowal, Gary Kowal, and David Grimes; his

 

 

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1 daughters, Kathleen D'Amico and Elizabeth Grimes; and his 8
2 grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
3     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
4 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
5 his family and friends, the passing of Edward W. Kowal; and be
6 it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to the family of Edward Kowal as an expression of our
9 sympathy.