SR1244 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1244 LRB102 29306 LAW 41279 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of the Honorable Edward H. "Ed" Marsalek, who passed away on September 4, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Judge Marsalek was born in Chicago on July 22, 1924; he was the son of Frank and Karolina Marsalek; after his parents' passing, he was raised by his sister, Betty, and her husband, John; he graduated from Prescott Elementary School and Lane Tech High School; he served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946, where he fought in the South Pacific in World War II before being discharged as a corporal; he returned to Chicago, attending Wilbur Wright College in 1948; he attended the University of Houston in 1949; after graduating, he returned to Chicago; he then attended John Marshall Law School and was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1953; and

WHEREAS, Judge Marsalek worked in a small law firm for a few years before becoming an assistant attorney general in 1960; he rose to the position of chief of the Consumer Fraud Division; he helped draft the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act, which was signed into law in 1961; he then worked as a deputy director for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority; he also founded the Marsalek and Lusak law firm, where he practiced until he was appointed as a judge; he was appointed as an associate judge in 1986; he ran and was elected as a full circuit judge, and he was retained for several elections; he served in Traffic Court, Bond Court, First Municipal, and Domestic Relations; he was the supervising judge of Housing Court before his retirement in 1998; and

WHEREAS, Judge Marsalek was a member of the Judicial Inquiry Board from 1982 to 1990; he was a member of many professional organizations, including the Advocates Society of Polish Lawyers, the Chicago Bar Association, and Catholic Lawyers; he was also a member of the Chicago Society Polish National Alliance (PNA) for many years, and he was named its Person of the Year in 2016; and

WHEREAS, Judge Marsalek was the president of the 44th Ward Democratic Organization for many years; he ran for alderman of the 44th Ward in 1975; he was active in the 6th Division of the Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO), U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as president, attended reunions with his former Marines for many years, and was instrumental in getting the children of former Marines involved in the organization to ensure its continuation; and

WHEREAS, During his retirement, Judge Marsalek traveled to many places in the United States and Poland; he loved spending time at his summer house in Wisconsin with his family and friends, where he enjoyed taking the pontoon boat out for rides on the lake; he loved his companion, Frank, a German Shepherd, who was always by his side; he enjoyed watching or listening to games of the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Bears; he loved celebrating holidays, birthdays, and events with his family; and

WHEREAS, Judge Marsalek served as a mentor to many new judges and was well respected by his peers; he will be remembered for his strong love of family; and

WHEREAS, Judge Marsalek was the husband of Ann (Pollace) Marsalek for over 62 years; the father of Judge Diann Marsalek (the late Roger McAuliffe), Carolyn Marsalek, and Edward Marsalek (Joyce Wonsil); the grandfather of Nicholas Marsalek, Alex Marsalek, and the late Peter Marsalek; the brother of Stanley (Jean), Betty (John) Lusak, Wanda (Alex) Weigel, Mary, and Elizabeth, all deceased; the uncle to John (Mary) Lusak, Karen (the late Bill) Rill, Sandy Porten, Tom (Sandy) Weigel, Julia (Jim) Olsta, Frank DeMilio, Joey DeMilio, Tim (Loree) Kelly, Chris (Karen) Kelly, and the late Michael (Missy) Kelly; and the great-uncle to many; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of the Honorable Edward H. Marsalek 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 Judge Marsalek as an expression of our deepest sympathy.