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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Merritt William Sprague of Hull, who
4passed away on October 4, 2014; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Merritt Sprague was born in Quincy on December 20,
61933 to John W. and Ella L. (nee Long) Sprague; he graduated
7from Hannibal High School in Hannibal, Missouri, and he earned
8a degree in agriculture science from the University of
9Illinois, where he was a member of the FarmHouse International
10Fraternity; after college, he served in the United States Army,
11achieving the rank of captain; he married Patricia Ann Paxton
12on July 3, 1955 in Pittsfield; upon his return to the family
13farm in 1956, he served as company commander of the Quincy Army
14Reserve Unit; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Merritt Sprague had a passion for promoting
16agriculture within his community; he served as a 4-H leader for
17many years and served as a member of the Pike County Farm
18Service Board; he was Vice-Chairman of the Illinois Farm Bureau
19Young Farmers Committee and was also Vice-Chairman of the
20American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee; in
211969, he was appointed to the chairmanship of the Illinois
22State Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
23Committee; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, After 25 years of active farming, Merritt Sprague
2was called upon to serve as Deputy Administrator for Commodity
3Operations in the Reagan Administration; he was then called
4upon to become the manager of the Federal Crop Insurance
5Corporation; he testified in front of the United States
6Congress routinely during his tenure in Washington, where he
7was an advocate for American agriculture; during President
8George H. W. Bush's administration, he served as the Deputy
9Director of the Office of Program Analysis for the U.S.
10Department of the Interior; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Merritt Sprague returned home to resume
12management of the family farm; during this time, he served as
13chairman of the Mid-America Intermodal Authority Port, where he
14worked tirelessly to promote the development of an intermodal
15port terminal in the Quincy area, which is ongoing today; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Merritt Sprague served on the Pike County Mental
17Health Board; he was an active member of the Hull Lions Club
18and was a lifelong member of the United Baptist Church of Hull
19and Kinderhook, where he not only taught many Sunday school
20classes but also served as deacon; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Merritt Sprague was preceded in death by his
22parents and his son, Philip Randall "Randy" Sprague; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Merritt Sprague is survived by his wife, Patricia;
2his 2 sons, Marvin Kent "Mark" (Lisa) Sprague and Merritt
3Andrew Sprague; his 2 granddaughters, AnnaMarie (Jason) Hanes
4and Dr. Mallory (Adam) Perrine; his grandson, Marine Lt.
5Jeffrey (Kelsi) Neese; his great-grandson, Paxton Kent Hanes;
6his brother, John Kent (Margaret) Sprague; his 2 nephews, James
7and Paul Sprague; and his niece, Cynthia Dreier; therefore, be
8it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
10ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
11Merritt William Sprague, and extend our sincere condolences to
12his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
13further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the family of Merritt Sprague as an expression of
16our deepest sympathy.