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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Dr. Kenneth Epperson of Macomb, who
4passed away on October 2, 2014; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dr. Kenneth Epperson was born in Hume on October
61, 1924 to Homer Lee and Sylvia Elliott Epperson; he graduated
7from Newman High School in 1942 and received his Bachelors of
8Science in Education in 1946 and his Masters of Science in
9Education in 1952, both from Western Illinois University;
10during his undergraduate years, he earned varsity letters in
11football, basketball, and track; he was the State pole vault
12and high jump champion, and took second place in the long jump;
13he served as president of Phi Sigma Epsilon fraternity and the
14Interfraternity Council and was chosen as Campus Personality
15and Homecoming King; in between completing his 2 degrees, he
16served in the United States Air Force from 1946 to 1947; he
17married Lorraine Barnhart on April 15, 1949 at the First
18Christian Church in Blandinsville; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Dr. Kenneth Epperson was an industrial arts
20teacher and coach at Greenfield High School from 1947 to 1948,
21an industrial arts teacher and basketball coach at Macomb High
22School from 1948 to 1952, principal at Blandinsville High
23School from 1952 to 1954, and superintendent of the

 

 

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1Northwestern School District (now West Prairie School
2District) for 5 years; from 1959 to 1961, he was with the
3Office of the Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction as
4assistant director in the Division of Special Education; he
5started his 22-year career with Western Illinois University
6(WIU) in 1961, first as an admissions counselor in charge of
7High School Relations; he was selected to head the Illinois
8Association of College Admissions Counselors in 1966; he also
9completed his doctorate in higher education administration at
10Indiana University in 1969; in the 1970s and early 1980s, he
11served as WIU's Director of University/Community College
12Relations and as president of the Illinois Community College
13Association; he retired from WIU in 1983; after his retirement,
14he joined his wife in real estate; they launched Century 21
15Purdum-Epperson in 1990, and it became a leading agency in
16Western Illinois; during his business career, he received
17several production awards and was named Macomb Realtor of the
18Year; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Dr. Kenneth Epperson's community leadership was
20evident in many ways; he was president of the State
21Universities Retirement System at WIU and served as a Spoon
22River College trustee for 12 years; he was also the chairman of
23the McDonough County United Way for several years, on the
24Wesley Village Retirement Center Executive Board, and served on
25the Macomb Planning Commission; he was a 50-year member of both

 

 

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1the local Masonic Lodge and Macomb Kiwanis Club and held
2memberships in the Macomb Country Club, the American Legion,
3the First Presbyterian Church (where he was a trustee), and the
4McDonough District Hospital Golden Apple Society; he also
5served as chair of the board for the Blandinsville Christian
6Church and the First Christian Church in Macomb; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Dr. Kenneth Epperson was a follower of WIU
8athletics; he served as president of the WIU Leatherneck Club
9and was named to the WIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995; he also
10served on the WIU Performing Arts Board and received the WIU
11Alumni Achievement Award in 1987; he and his wife gifted a
12large amount to WIU's fundraising campaign; they were awarded
13the Isaac and Ethel Leighty Community Award given by the
14McDonough County United Way; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Dr. Kenneth Epperson was a talented woodcarver and
16sculptor; he carved the first Western Illinois University seal
17in 1974 in celebration of WIU's 75th anniversary; he carved a
18number of smaller WIU seals as presentation gifts for retiring
19administrators and faculty members; he also designed and carved
20the Western Illinois University mace, which is carried and used
21at every commencement and at special academic events; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Dr. Kenneth Epperson enjoyed golfing, dancing,
23and playing bridge, and was also devoted to the Eppersons'

 

 

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1Sheltie dogs, Skipper I, II, and III; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Dr. Kenneth Epperson is survived by his wife,
3Lorraine; nephew, Paul (Christine) Epperson; sister-in-law,
4Roberta Epperson; and cousins, Sue Goetz, Steve Williams, and
5Bob Williams; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
8Dr. Kenneth Epperson, and extend our sincere condolences to his
9family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
10further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the family of Dr. Kenneth Epperson as an
13expression of our deepest sympathy.