HR1166 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1166 LRB093 23201 KEF 53174 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House were saddened to learn of the death of Ralph H. Sprehe of Centralia on August 5, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Ralph H. Sprehe was born on June 25, 1914 in Hoffman to Ben and Flora (Doel) Sprehe; he married Bernice Mueller on May 17, 1941; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Sprehe was a resident of Hoffman and Centralia and a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Centralia; he graduated from Centralia Township High School in 1931; he founded Sprehe Truck Service in 1931 in Hoffman; he founded Centralia Cartage Co. in 1940, which grew to serve Southern Illinois, St. Louis, Evansville, and Chicago and merged with Associated Truck Lines in 1978; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Sprehe was chairman of the board of Old National Bank from 1985 to 1995, and also served on the board of directors of the First National Bank and Centralia Savings and Loan; he was a charter member of the Central Industrial Commission; he served as a member of the St. Mary's Hospital Lay Advisory Board, Centralia Chamber of Commerce, Kaskaskia College Foundation, and Centralia Rotary Church; he was a chairman of Centralia United Fund Drive; he also served for several years in many capacities in statewide and national truck transportation organizations, most notably as president of the Illinois Trucking Association; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Sprehe received the Jaycees Outstanding Service Award in 1973, the Centralia Chamber of Commerce Industrial Appreciation Award in 1978, the American Truck Historical Society Founder Award in 1980, the Centralia Chamber of Commerce Award in 1987, the Madonna Club Humanitarian Award in 1991, and the Kaskaskia College Foundation Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Sprehe was a major contributor to many charitable causes in the Centralia area; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Ralph H. Sprehe will be deeply felt by many, especially his son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Jeanne Ann Sprehe; his daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Tom Ballagh; his two sisters, Dorothy Sprehe and Anita Lenzini; his four grandchildren, Molly Harlan, Chelsey Sprehe, Jill Turnage, and Michael Ballagh; and his great-grandchild, Brooks Harlan; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; two brothers, Howard Sprehe and Forrest Sprehe; one sister, Alice Westerbeck; two brothers-in-law, Harvey Westerbeck and Arnold Lenzini; and one sister-in-law, June Sprehe; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of Ralph H. Sprehe along with all who knew and loved him and extend our sincere condolences to his friends and family; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Ralph H. Sprehe as a token of our deepest sympathy.