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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to honor
3the life of former Illinois State Senator Wendell E. Jones,
4formerly of Palatine, who passed away on October 25, 2011; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Senator Wendell Jones was an exemplary lawmaker
6who was held in high regard for his 9 years of public service
7in the Illinois Senate; and
 
8    WHEREAS, He was born on November 4, 1937 in Battle Creek,
9Michigan; he attended Ball State University, where he received
10his B.S. in Speech and Hearing Therapy and an M.S. in Special
11Education; and
 
12    WHEREAS, He started his 24-year educational career as a
13speech therapist for District 15 in Palatine and later became
14the director of Special Education; in addition, he later served
15as an Assistant Superintendent in Cook County; he later became
16the Director of the DuPage/West Cook Regional Special Education
17Association; and
 
18    WHEREAS, He was also successful in business, serving as a
19salesman for Clayton Metals, Co. and forming Wenco, a
20promotional products company; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, He served as the Palatine Village President and as
2a Trustee, for one term in each office; he was a delegate to
3the 1980 Republican National Convention; and he served as a
4Republican precinct captain for 40 years; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Senator Jones sponsored laws to protect children
6from sex offenders, to reopen the "world-class" Arlington
7International Race Course, and to support charter school
8reform; he helped to pass the Illinois Safe Neighborhoods Act;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, He was a strong advocate for funding special
11education and mental health programs; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Senator Jones served with distinction on the
13Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence and fought for
14domestic violence shelters like the Women In Need Growing
15Stronger (WINGS) in his district; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Senator Jones supported legislation to protect
17the environment and helped to develop the Wilke Marsh with the
18Palatine Park District; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Senator Jones was a member of the Senate
20Committees on Appropriations, Local Government, Revenue, and
21Property Tax Reform; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Senator Jones served as the Vice Chairman for the
2Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and as the Minority
3Spokesman for the Housing and Community Affairs Committee; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Senator Jones led a distinguished group of
5lawmakers with the informal Capitol Committee on Currency
6Exchanges; and
7
8    WHEREAS, He always kept Illinois Senate committees in
9stitches with his humor; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Senator Jones was never at a loss for words or a
11good one-liner when it came to debating the Illinois budget; he
12admired the man who once said, "The 9 most terrifying words in
13the English language are: "I'm from the government, and I'm
14here to help"; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Senator Jones and his wife reluctantly found the
16climate of Florida to be more hospitable and chose to retire in
17the warmth of the Sunshine State; and
 
18    WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his sister-in-law, Dr.
19Doris Allen; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Senator Wendell Jones is survived by his loving

 

 

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1wife of 51 years, Jane Ellen (Condon); his beloved children,
2Timothy W. Jones, Julie A. (Thomas) Healy, and Janell L.
3Chandler; he took great pride in spoiling his 4 cherished
4grandchildren, Ryan, Micaela, McKayla, and Taylor; he is also
5survived by his brothers-in-law, James (Patricia) Condon and
6Warren (Carol) Condon; and 5 nieces; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The passing of Senator Wendell Jones will be
8deeply felt by his fellow legislators, admirers, and
9constituents, who will fondly remember him for his
10intelligence, compassion, wit, and graciousness; therefore, be
11it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
14his family, friends, former constituents, and admirers, the
15passing of former State Senator Wendell Jones; and be it
16further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of former State Senator Wendell Jones
19as an expression of our respect and as a symbol of our sincere
20sympathy.