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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 Jerry B.
4Symons of Jacksonville, former owner of WLDS-WEAI radio
5stations, who passed away on March 11, 2013; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Jerry Symons was born on August 17, 1942, in
7Jacksonville to James Lyndall and Pauline Barton Symons; he
8graduated in 1960 from Jacksonville High School, where he was
9class president, and from Illinois College in 1964, where he
10was a member and past president of Sigma Pi; he married Sharon
11Baker on August 28, 1964, at Central Christian Church in
12Jacksonville; he joined the Air National Guard in 1966 and
13attended Officer's Candidate School with the U.S. Air Force in
14San Antonio, Texas, where he achieved the rank of Second
15Lieutenant in 1967; he served as a member of the Illinois Air
16National Guard (183rd Tactical Fighter Group) for almost 25
17years, retiring in December of 1990 with the rank of Lt.
18Colonel; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Jerry Symons began his radio career in 1961 while
20a student at Illinois College; he spent the next 51 years
21working for WLDS/WEAI Radio; he was a deejay from 1961-1964,
22news director from 1964-1981, and station manager from
231981-1989; in 1989, he formed Jerdon Broadcasting with his

 

 

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1friend and partner, Don Hamilton, to purchase the stations; he
2served as co-owner and general manager until the stations were
3sold in July of 2008; he continued to serve as consultant and
4sports director, a position he has held since 1964; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jerry Symons was a dedicated volunteer and devoted
6hours to the betterment of his community; he took part in
7special projects and speaking engagements at schools and other
8organizations, chaired a mayoral advisory committee that
9resulted in the creation of Community Park and the Jacksonville
10Area Chamber of Commerce office, and co-chaired a successful
11campaign to achieve Home Rule status for the City of
12Jacksonville; in addition, he was a member and past president
13of the Jacksonville Kiwanis Club, where he was named
14Distinguished Kiwanian in 2002 and a Hixson Fellow in 2005, a
15former director and past president of Passavant Hospital, a
16former trustee for Illinois College, a former chairman of the
17West Central Illinois All-Star Basketball Classic, a former
18founding member of the Morgan County Sheriff's Merit
19Commission, a past president of the Committee for the
20Advancement of Higher Education, and a former director of the
21Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Jerry Symons was a life-long member of Central
23Christian Church, where he served as chairman of the General
24Board, Deacon, Elder, and treasurer of the Board of Trustees;

 

 

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1he was a devotee of youth baseball and coached Elks Youth
2Baseball and Pony-Colt League Baseball for many years, where he
3was recognized for 17 years of service as the Pony-Colt League
4treasurer; he most recently served on the Jacksonville Public
5School Foundation Board of Directors, the Jacksonville Sports
6Hall of Fame Committee, and the Jacksonville Regional Economic
7Development Council; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Jerry Symons, known to the community as the voice
9of the Jacksonville Crimsons, was named to the Jacksonville
10High School Hall of Fame and the Illinois Basketball Coaches
11Association Hall of Fame; he was twice awarded the
12Distinguished Service Award from the Illinois High School
13Association and received the Silver Dome Award for
14Sportscasting from the Illinois Broadcasters Association; he
15was also the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award at
16Illinois College and the Friend of Education Award from the
17Jacksonville Education Association; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Jerry Symons was preceded in death by his parents;
19his aunt, Martha Symons; and his mother-in-law, Mary Baker; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Jerry Symons is survived by his wife, Sharon; his
21daughter, Amy Jackson (Edward); his son, Stephen Symons
22(Cammie); his grandchildren, Molly, Grace and Ben Jackson, and
23Amelia and Cody Symons; his siblings, James Symons (Judy),

 

 

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1Andrew Symons (Linda), Jennifer Symons, and Alan Symons
2(Valerie); his several nieces and nephews; and his
3sister-in-law, Julie Watanabe (Brent); therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6we mourn the passing of Jerry Symons, and we extend our sincere
7condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
8him; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to the family of Jerry Symons as an expression of our
11deepest sympathy.