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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives have learned with much sadness of the passage
4of a great friend and special contributor to the history of the
5Illinois General Assembly, William J. "Bill" O'Connell of
6Peoria; and
 
7    WHEREAS, It would not be an exaggeration or bring an
8objection from any corner to say that Bill O'Connell is one of
9a kind, an institutional legend, or an old-time reporter; and
 
10    WHEREAS, During his more than 60 years covering politics
11and government for the Peoria Journal Star, Bill O'Connell was
12always credited with faithfully keeping his
13mythical-but-typical readers "Grace and Elmer" fully informed
14with crisp, unvarnished reporting; he mentored hundreds of
15journalists young and old from all regions of this State,
16saving more than a few officials from blunders and never
17missing an opportunity to help Peoria benefit from every bill
18that passed through the legislative process; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Bill O'Connell received numerous awards and
20honors during his career, including the 1986 Illinois
21Journalist of the Year award and awards from the American
22Political Science Association, the Associated Press, and the

 

 

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1Illinois Education Association; and
 
2    WHEREAS, While proud of his journalistic achievements,
3Bill O'Connell did not shy away from the published accounts
4that also credited him as the inspiration for funding the
5downstate civic center construction program and with being one
6of the surest translators of the often incomprehensible
7dialects spoken by the inhabitants of Chicago, Cook County, and
8downstate Illinois; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Perhaps the true uniqueness of Bill O'Connell's
10persona was exemplified at the time of his 1996 retirement from
11the Peoria Journal Star, when Lee A. Daniels, then Speaker of
12the House of Representatives, and Michael J. Madigan, House
13Democratic Leader, cosponsored Bill's retirement resolution
14during the somewhat tumultuous 89th General Assembly; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The one-of-a-kind moments continued when Illinois
16Senate President Philip J. Rock fought foggy weather to reach
17Springfield and come to the floor of the Illinois Senate to
18speak and describe Bill O'Connell as "as man whose integrity we
19should all salute"; and
 
20    WHEREAS, During this time of sadness, we ask all who knew
21and loved Bill O'Connell to remember the happier moments in his
22life and to reach out in their own way to ask for strength and

 

 

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1comfort for his wife, Helen; their children, Kelly, Molly, Tom,
2Tim, David, and William; their 12 grandchildren; and their 3
3great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6we mourn the passing of William J. "Bill" O'Connell, offer our
7deepest sympathies to his families and friends, and affirm that
8the State of Illinois and its people are better because of his
9contributions, and fondly remember his great character, wit,
10and wisdom; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the family of Bill O'Connell as an expression of
13our sympathy.