SR1976LRB099 22165 GRL 49528 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Edwin George Kolk of Fulton, who passed
4away on May 31, 2016; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Edwin Kolk was born on October 27, 1934 in
6Clinton; his parents were Harry and Jennie Kolk; he married
7Nancy Kamphuis on May 31, 1957 at the Second Reformed Church in
8Fulton; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Edwin Kolk grew up in Fulton and graduated from
10Fulton High School with the class of 1952; after graduation, he
11delivered milk for Goodenough Dairy; in 1957, he was drafted
12into the United States Army, where he trained as a medical lab
13technician and served primarily in Stuttgart, Germany; after
14his stint in the Army, he began working in research at the
15Clinton Corn Processing Company and continued in lab work
16throughout his career; he retired from Archer Daniels Midland
17in 1999; he and his wife also owned River Huis Traders Antiques
18in downtown Fulton; and
 
19    WHEREAS, As a child, Edwin Kolk loved to read
20encyclopedias, and his curiosity for discovering new things and
21ideas lasted his entire life; he and his wife traveled
22extensively throughout the United States and Europe; his

 

 

SR1976- 2 -LRB099 22165 GRL 49528 r

1paradise was his home on the Mississippi River; he loved to
2work in the garden, monitor boat traffic, watch the wildlife,
3teach the next generations about family traditions, and create
4good memories for his grandchildren; he had a joy of music that
5he learned from his parents and his grandfather, John Flikkema,
6and he taught his daughters to break into song at any time; he
7enjoyed attending classical and rock concerts; he also spent
8many summer nights at Clinton LumberKings baseball games; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Edwin Kolk was a member of the Fulton Lions Club
10and AFS; he served on the boards of the Community Fund, the
11Fulton Chamber of Commerce, Fulton Retail Development, and
12Fulton Zoning; he was a volunteer miller at "de Immigrant"
13windmill in Fulton since the mill opened in 2000; he also
14trained under master miller Derk Jan Tinga from Groningen, the
15Netherlands, and they formed a friendship so strong that many
16called Derk Jan his Dutch son; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Edwin Kolk was preceded in death by his wife; his
18parents; and his brother, Robert John Kolk; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Edwin Kolk is survived by his daughters, Gina Kolk
20(Thomas Walsh) and Heidi Kolk; his AFS daughter, Ana Maria da
21Camara Silva; his grandchildren, Jon Thomas Walsh, Liliana
22Jennie Walsh, and Duke Harrison Walsh; his sister-in-law, Carol
23Kolk; his sister-in-law, Judy Zuidema; his nephews, Kevin, Dan,

 

 

SR1976- 3 -LRB099 22165 GRL 49528 r

1and Mike Kolk, and his nieces, Lisa (Zuidema) Seaman and Amy
2(Zuidema) Venhuizen; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
4ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his
5family and friends, mourn the passing of Edwin George Kolk; and
6be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the family of Edwin Kolk as an expression of our
9sympathy.