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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Ralph J. Coletta, who passed away on
4October 19, 2011; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta was born on December 13, 1921, in
6Chillicothe; his parents were Cesidio and Assunta Aromatario
7Coletta; he married Ethel Mary Meyers on November 19, 1949, at
8St. Bernard Catholic Church in Peoria; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta was a graduate of Chillicothe Grade
10School and Peoria High School; he then earned his bachelor's
11degree from Bradley Polytechnic Institute, now Bradley
12University, and his doctorate in law from the University of
13Chicago Law School in 1949; he then passed his bar examination
14that same year; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta served his country with pride and
16distinction as a member of the United States Army during World
17War II; after graduating from the United States Army Infantry
18School at Fort Benning, Georgia, he was commissioned as a
19lieutenant of infantry; he served in the South Pacific Theater
20of Operations until the surrender of Japanese forces, when he
21served with the United States Army of Occupation in Japan as a
22Japanese language interpreter with the general headquarters of

 

 

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1Gen. Douglas MacArthur; he also served at the Fifth Army
2headquarters at Fort Sheridan, and as a reserve officer from
31948 to 1949; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta founded the family law firm in
5Peoria in 1950, being later joined in the practice of law by
6his sons, Joseph and Robert; he served as a lawyer for more
7than 55 years and was recognized as a senior counselor by the
8Illinois State Bar Association in 2000; he was admitted to
9practice before all Illinois courts and the Supreme Court of
10the United States; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta served as assistant state's
12attorney of Peoria County from 1952 to 1956; he later served as
13vice chairman of the Business and Commercial Law Committee of
14the American Bar Association; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta was a member of the American, State
16of Illinois, Chicago, and Peoria County Bar Associations; he
17served as a hearing officer for the Illinois Pollution Control
18Board from 1970 to 1975; he was also a member of Land of
19Lincoln Packards and Packard Automobile Association, the
20Italian American Society, the American Legion Peoria Post No. 2
21and the 40 et 8 of the Legion, the Knights of Columbus, Mount
22Hawley Country Club, the Union League Club of Chicago, the
23Creve Coeur Club of Peoria, the Bradley University B Club, the

 

 

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1Bradley Chiefs Club, and Lakeview Museum; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta was active in the development of
3real estate in the Peoria area and served as president of 2
4real estate development organizations, the White Star
5Corporation and as a general partner of The Ralet Limited
6Partnership and Mark Tidd Inc; he was a former director of the
7Illinois Valley Savings and Loan Association for many years and
8was a founding director and officer in Wheels O'Time Museum; he
9also served as a director of the Peoria Regional Museum
10Society; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta was a former director of St. Jude
12Midwest Affiliate and an adviser to the Peoria Area Blind
13People's Center; he was a former Republican Precinct
14Committeeman for 10 years and was a Republican delegate to
15Illinois; he was a former member of the Peoria Junior Chamber
16of Commerce and the Peoria Chamber of Commerce; he was also a
17Mass Lector and served on the Parish Council at St. Philomena
18Catholic Church, where he was a member for many years; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta was preceded in death by his
20parents; his daughter, Renee Joers; his brother, John; and his
21grandson, Adam Ahitow; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Ralph Coletta is survived by his wife; his

 

 

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1children, Jeanie Caskey (Barry Stortz), Michele (Dan) Smith,
2Robert (Valencia) Coletta, Marianne (Pete) Hoener, Suzanne
3(Vince) Kennedy, and Joseph (Debra); his 14 grandchildren; his
42 great-granddaughters; and his great-grandson; therefore, be
5it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
8his family and friends, the passing of Ralph J. Coletta; and be
9it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
11presented to the family of Ralph Coletta as an expression of
12our sympathy.