SR0365 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0365 LRB093 15707 KEF 41317 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with great sadness of the passing of Joseph T. Potasiak of Chicago on December 19, 2003; and

WHEREAS, Born in Chicago to immigrant parents, Joseph Potasiak did maintenance work at his elementary school to help pay tuition; he pumped gas and worked as a cashier and stocker as well; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Potasiak earned his bachelor's degree in political science and criminal justice from the University of Illinois at Chicago; he made the dean's list while earning his law degree from Cooley School of Law in Lansing, Michigan; and

WHEREAS, In 1987, Mr. Potasiak began working as an assistant corporation counsel for Chicago; he handled special and municipal prosecutions and most recently enforced building codes for the building and land use division; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Potasiak was tough in the courtroom but worked behind the scenes, calling the Cook County public guardian's office, aldermen, and community organizations to help elderly and low-income tenants get the support they needed; and

WHEREAS, Active in the Polish community, Mr. Potasiak was named the Polish American Police Association's Person of the Year in 2000; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Potasiak met Marilyn Mazewski at a meeting of the Advocates Society, a Polish lawyers' organization; they were married in 1995; and

WHEREAS, An avid fisherman and hunter, Mr. Potasiak enjoyed spending the day with his Chesapeake Bay retriever, and best friend, "Duke"; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Potasiak was a member of the American, Illinois and Chicago (Government Service, Litigation and Judicial Evaluations Committees) Bar Associations; Thomas M. Cooley, University of Illinois, Lane Technical and St. Fidelis Alumni Associations; the Polish National Alliance; the Chicago Society, and the Polish Museum of America; he was a Polish American Congress-Delegate and a past president of the Advocates Society of Polish American Lawyers; in addition, he was a member of the Catholic Lawyers Guild and served as a DePaul and John Marshall Moot Court Judge; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Joseph T. Potasiak has been deeply felt by all who knew and loved him, especially his wife Marilyn A. Mazewski; his mother, Gabriela; his sister, Teresa; his godson, Arthur (Sophia) Potasiak; his nieces and nephews, Alaina, Brittney, Candice, and Douglas; his mother-in-law, Florence Mazewski; and his brother-in-law, Aloysius A. (Janice) Mazewski; he was preceded in death by his father Joseph and his father-in-law Aloysius A. Mazewski; and

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Joseph T. Potasiak along with all who knew and loved him and extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution is presented to the family of Joseph T. Potasiak.