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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 Robert
4Joseph "Bob" Stecher of West Peoria, who passed away on January
511, 2015; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Robert Stecher was born on November 19, 1951 to
7Joseph G. and Mary G. (nee Cotter) Stecher; he graduated from
8Bergan High School in Peoria; he married Carol Ann Bedell on
9December 2, 1972 at Saint Mark Catholic Church in Peoria; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Robert Stecher joined his father at Stecher's
11Automotive Service Inc.; when his father retired in 1987, he
12became the owner, making him the third generation to run the
13family business; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Robert Stecher joined the West Peoria Fire
15Department in 1970, becoming an emergency medical technician
16and working his way up through the ranks; he was a firefighter,
17engineer, Captain, and Assistant Chief before becoming Chief of
18the department in 1987; he was the longest serving Chief in the
19history of the department, before retiring in 2012; that same
20year, he was granted Chief Emeritus status by the Illinois Fire
21Chiefs Association; he also began serving as a Trustee for the
22West Peoria Fire Protection District, a position he held until

 

 

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1his passing; he received numerous honors and awards for his
2service to his community, including the West Peoria's
3Firefighter of the Year Award, the Emergency Medical Technician
4of the Year Award, the American Red Cross Heartland Hero Award
5(2003), and the Hardees Hometown Hero Award presented by
6Illinois Governor Jim Edgar (1994); and
 
7    WHEREAS, Robert Stecher was a member and officer of
8numerous organizations, including the West Peoria
9Firefighter's Association, the Illinois Firefighter's
10Association, the Peoria Area Fire Chiefs Association, the
11Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, the International
12Association of Fire Chiefs, the Central Illinois Fire
13Investigators Association, the International Association of
14Arson Investigators, and the Peoria County Emergency Services
15and Disaster Agency; he worked with others to help incorporate
16the City of West Peoria in 1993, and he served on the committee
17to select the city's first Mayor; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Robert Stecher was a member of St. Ann Catholic
19Church in Peoria; he grew up in Saint Mark Catholic Church and
20was a past member of Holy Family Parish; he was passionate
21about flying and earned his pilot's license in 1970; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Robert Stecher was preceded in death by his
23parents; his brother, William; and his sister, Patricia Bulfer;

 

 

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1and
 
2    WHEREAS, Robert Stecher is survived by his wife, Carol; his
32 daughters, Melissa (Eric) Siebenthal and Karen Stecher; his
4son, Robert (Jennifer Nicole) Stecher, Jr.; his 5
5grandchildren, Hadley, Luke, Emma, Ryan, and Alex; his
6siblings, Richard (Christine Karl) Stecher, James (Mary
7Wikoff) Stecher, Ann (Scott) Peterson, Mark (Kim Denman)
8Stecher, and Thomas (Connie Peterson) Stecher; his
9brother-in-law, William Bulfer; and several aunts, uncles,
10nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; therefore,
11be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14mourn the passing of Robert Joseph "Bob" Stecher, and extend
15our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who
16knew and loved him; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Robert Stecher as an expression of
19our deepest sympathy.