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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Robert
4Alan "Bob" Mays of Quincy, who passed away on July 29, 2011;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, He was born October 16, 1921, in Quincy, a son of
7Howard Laytham and Edna Beatrice Best Mays; he married Anne
8Markley Frank on March 8, 1969, in Quincy; he was formerly
9married to Alice Porter Morrison; and
 
10    WHEREAS, He was a 1938 graduate of Quincy High School,
11where he was a member of the band and orchestra; he graduated
12from Gem City Business College in 1939 and Northwestern
13University in 1943 with a B.S. degree in Industrial Management;
14he served in the United States Naval Reserve from 1942 to 1954;
15he was a Lieutenant Commander in the Supply Corps and saw
16active duty during World War II and the Korean War; and
 
17    WHEREAS, He lived his life according to the teachings of
18Jesus Christ; his favorite slogan was "I wondered why somebody
19didn't do something, then I realized I am somebody."; he loved
20his large family, especially the gathering of everyone for the
21annual water slide party; his advice to his family was "Make
22today the best day of your life!"; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, His always entreprenurial spirit led him to be
2involved in numerous business ventures over the years; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Founded by his father in 1923, he became owner and
4president of Flava Manufacturing; he was the founder of Mays
5Real Estate, he was a real estate broker with Coldwell Banker
6Mays Real Estate, Inc., with his son, Alan; he developed Spring
7Lake Estates and co-owned Valley View Campground and Mobile
8Home Park with George Irwin, as well as owned Mississippi
9Valley Canteen Service; and
 
10    WHEREAS, He was involved in several other businesses,
11including the Red Carpet, the Open Pantry, and MyBo; he worked
12with Martin Baral to get businesses into the Quincy Development
13Center; he had a long career in residential and commercial real
14estate, particularly enjoying the preservation of several
15downtown Quincy buildings, including the Newcomb Hotel, 428
16Maine, and the Park Hotel; he also developed with his son,
17Alan, Oakbrook Court and Spring Lake Estates II subdivisions,
18Kings Pointe condominiums, as well as a commercial development
19at North Pointe; and
 
20    WHEREAS, He was a life-long member of First Union
21Congregational Church, serving as trustee and chairman of the
22board; he was a member of the following: the American Legion

 

 

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1Post 37 and the Quincy Noon Kiwanis Club, where he served as
2president in 1956; the Quincy Museum, serving as president from
31977 to 1983; and the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce, serving
4as president in 1962; he was a founding board member of the
5Community Foundation of the Quincy Area; and he was a member of
6the Adams County Historical Society, serving as a board member;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, He was a founding board member of Friends of the
9Log Cabins; a board member of the Historic Quincy Business
10District; a board member of the Spring Lake Country Club; and a
11member of the Illinois Institute for Entrepreneurship
12Education; Mr. Mays was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta
13Fraternity; he was a member of the Adams County Republican
14Central Committee, as well as precinct committeeman; he was an
15alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention for
16Barry Goldwater in 1964; he was a founding member of JIDC, now
17GREDF; he was a board member of the Adams County Homemakers;
18and an original member of the Indian Creek Development Corp; he
19was a Guardian with NFIB; and a delegate to the White House
20Conference on Small Business in 1986; he was a member of
21Lambert Lodge #659 AF & AM, the Quincy Consistory, Ansar
22Shrine, and the Quincy Shrine Club; and
 
23    WHEREAS, From 1947 to 1977, he was a Quincy Park District
24Commissioner; in October 1996, the Quincy Park Board dedicated

 

 

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1Bob Mays Park on North 18th Street in his honor; he was awarded
2the Kiwanis George F. Hixon Fellowship Award in 1998, the
3Uptown Commitment Award in 1995, the Distinguished Member Award
4for Community Service from the Illinois Association of Realtors
5in 1991, and the Outstanding Realtor Career Award by the Quincy
6Association of Realtors in 1996; and
 
7    WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; his
8brother, Captain USAAF Richard Best Mays, missing in action
9December 22, 1943; and his former wife, Alice Porter Morrison
10Mays; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Robert Mays is survived by his wife, Anne; his
12children, Richard Mays, Alan (Joan) Mays, former State
13Representative Jeffrey (Lori) Mays, Elise Kimmons, Keith
14(Jennifer) Frank, and John (Nancy) Frank; his grandchildren,
15Devi Mays, Andrea (Kenneth) Knapp, Joseph D. (Kelly) Mays,
16Joseph P. Mays, Samuel Mays, Alexa Wendling, Megan Wendling,
17Jenna Schaljo, Levi (Ashley) Schaljo, Savanna Schaljo, Stephen
18Frank, Mathias Frank, Sarah Frank, John Frank Jr., Thomas
19Frank, and Molly Frank; and his great-grandchildren, Kollin and
20Mckenzie Knapp and Meredith, Jack, and Clara Mays; therefore,
21be it
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
23NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that

 

 

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1we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of
2Robert Mays; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4presented to the family of Robert Mays as a symbol of our
5sincere sympathy.