HR0543 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0543 LRB101 14693 ALS 63636 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Wesley L. "Wes" Barr Jr. of Springfield, who passed away on October 1, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Wes Barr was born on May 16, 1963; he lived in the former John Hay Homes housing project on the East Side of Springfield until he was 13; then, he worked at McDonald's and graduated from Southeast High School; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from high school, Wes Barr joined the United States Marines and then served as a correctional officer at the Sangamon County Jail and as a police officer in the communities of Loami, Illiopolis, and Chatham; he joined the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office in 1991; he was elected as a trustee for Prairie Creek Township in 2009 and 2013; he served as Sangamon County Sheriff from 2014 until 2018; and

WHEREAS, Wes Barr and his wife, Sherry, served with several charitable and community organizations, including Contact Ministries, the Illinois Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, the United Cerebral Palsy Fund, and the Springfield Park District Foundation Board; in 2007, he was named First Citizen by The State Journal Register partially because of his work with Toys for Tots, which collected 14,000 toys in 2006 under his local leadership; and

WHEREAS, Wes Barr is survived by his wife of 24 years, Sherry Coons; his father, Wesley L. Barr Sr.; his sisters, Betty (Hip) Phu and Robin (Wymond) Stubbs; his brothers, Michael and Joe Barr; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Wesley L. "Wes" Barr Jr. and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Wes Barr as an expression of our deepest sympathy.