SR0242 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0242 LRB101 06611 ALS 56108 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Allison L. Burdick Jr., who passed away on November 6, 2018 at the age of 94; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Burdick was born to Dr. Allison L. Burdick Sr. and Adelaide Bartholf Burdick on June 7, 1924; he grew up in Galewood and graduated from Austin High School; he married his high school sweetheart, Beatrice "Bea" King, in June of 1946; he attended the University of Illinois Medical School; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Burdick served the United States Navy as a medical doctor at Great Lakes Naval Academy, as well as in San Diego and Albuquerque; he returned to the Chicago area and completed residencies at Hines VA Hospital in Maywood and West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park; in 1952, he joined his father in private practice on the West Side of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Burdick had a vision of educating future family practice doctors and served as a professor in the Department of Family Practice at Rush University Medical School; he was a pioneer in family practice medicine and worked to save the family doctor profession while becoming one of the founding fathers of the family medicine movement in the United States, which carries an emphasis on the family unit, preventative medicine, and patient education; he was a visionary leader who believed that the "people specialty," as family practice doctors were known, was essential to providing ongoing medical care to patients; and

WHEREAS, In 1971, Dr. Burdick established one of the country's first residency programs at West Suburban Hospital for in-depth training in family medicine; in a ceremony in 2009, with nearly 100 graduates from all over the country in attendance, the West Suburban Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program was officially named the A.L. Burdick Family Medicine Center to honor his legacy; to date, over 250 new physicians have graduated from this program; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Burdick was a diplomat of the American Board of Family Practice for years and served as its vice president for education; he held several offices with the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians and served as president from 1970 until 1971; he also held numerous positions with the Illinois State Medical Society and was president of the Aux Plaines Branch of the Chicago Medical Society in 1968; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Burdick was known for his passion, leadership, and his ability to teach in a way that influenced his residents for the rest of their careers; former staff members in the Family Practice Department at West Suburban Hospital considered it an honor and a privilege to work with him; he was a "fantastic role model, a compassionate physician, a delightful colleague, and an ardent educator"; many of his former students felt they owed him a tremendous debt of gratitude for helping to develop family practice residencies throughout Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Burdick and his wife, Bea, were members of various yacht clubs and tennis clubs over the years, and he once sailed his boat across Lake Michigan to his summer home on White Lake in Whitehall, Michigan; he was admired for his love of the "good things" in life, including music, books, tennis, the outdoors, boats, and the sun on his face; his happiest days were with family, especially holidays; his unconditional love, patience, wisdom, and gentle nature will live on in his children and grandchildren, of whom he was very proud; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Burdick was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Bea; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Burdick is survived by his children, Stephanie Kennington, Susan (Bob) Merz, Bradley (Linda) Burdick, and Robert (Alison) Burdick; his grandchildren, Brandon, Alison, Scott, Kimberly, Marissa, Jenna, Mallory, and Collin; and his nine great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dr. Allison L. Burdick Jr. and extend our 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 Dr. Burdick as an expression of our deepest sympathy.