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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened by the death of our friend and
4colleague, State Representative Mark Beaubien Jr. of
5Barrington Hills, who passed away on June 5, 2011; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Mark Beaubien was born on October 30, 1942, in
7Waukegan; he married Dee Prola Beaubien on August 15, 1964, in
8Springfield; together, they raised 2 sons and have 5
9grandchildren; Dee was his wife for 47 years, his best friend
10of over 50 years, and the source of much of his inspiration;
11and
 
12    WHEREAS, Representative Beaubien was an Assistant
13Republican Leader; he served as State Representative since his
14appointment in October of 1995 to fill a vacancy; after being
15elected in the 1996 primary and general elections, he was
16subsequently re-elected to seven additional two-year terms;
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, Prior to becoming a lawmaker, Representative
19Beaubien served as a member of the Lake County Board from 1992
20to 1996, during which time he also served as Township
21Supervisor of the City of Cuba; he also enjoyed a successful
22career in both law and banking, quickly emerging as a community

 

 

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1leader through his professional experience and civic
2involvement; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Representative Beaubien's expertise in law and
4finance proved to be a tremendous asset as the House
5Republicans' chief budget negotiator; in this role, Rep.
6Beaubien became a leading advocate for fiscal responsibility;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, During his tenure in the General Assembly, some of
9Representative Beaubien's proudest moments included
10spearheading initiatives to make seatbelt enforcement a
11primary reason for law enforcement to stop a vehicle, voting
12with his convictions in support of the Human Rights Amendment
13and the recent Civil Union Bill, passing a bill that provides
14Municipal Pension Reform, leading the charge to save Round Lake
15Schools, and playing an active role in the Sportsman's Caucus
16and issues related to hunting and other open space issues; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Representative Beaubien was dedicated to
18community service throughout his life; his civic activities
19over the years includes his involvement with the Northwestern
20University Committee on Athletics and Recreation (1988-1992),
21the Board of Directors of Buehler YMCA in Palatine (1971-1993),
22the Board of Directors at Northwest Community Hospital
23(1978-1991); he was a member of the John Evans Club of

 

 

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1Northwestern University (1988-2011), the Barrington Area
2Community Center Task Force (1993-1995), the Barrington Area
3Seniors Task Force (1994-1997), the Founders' Committee of the
4Ela Area YMCA (1994-1997), and the Lake County and Illinois
5State Bar Associations; he also coached Little League baseball
6and football for many years; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Representative Beaubien received his bachelor's
8degree from Northwestern University in 1964 and his Juris
9Doctor from the Northwestern University School of Law in 1967;
10and
 
11    WHEREAS, Representative Beaubien was revered for his
12knowledge, compassion, and sense of humor; his door was always
13open and he was often sought out for advice by members from
14both parties; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Representative Beaubien was a confident man who
16refused to limit his ideals to those of his generation,
17embracing the timeless values of honor, respect, loyalty, and
18integrity, while rejecting its occasional intolerance and
19prejudice; he knew instinctively that the fundamental rights
20that he both cherished and demanded were meaningless unless
21they were enjoyed by all men and women; his principled
22leadership made it easy for him to support issues and causes
23that were unpopular with some; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Representative Beaubien's easy wit, quick smile,
2and unpretentious wisdom made him well liked by even those with
3whom he disagreed; if asked why he was one of the few
4Republican supporters of the Civil Union Bill, he would respond
5with humility and simplicity that it was simply time and that
6we should all "live our lives and speak our own truths"; his
7legacy is in his conviction and his values; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10we mourn, along with his family, friends, and constituents, the
11passing of Illinois State Representative Mark Beaubien Jr.; and
12be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14presented to the family of Representative Mark Beaubien, Jr. as
15a symbol of our sincere sympathy.