SR0399 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0399 LRB093 18271 KEF 43973 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois were saddened to learn of the death of Dr. R. Robert Simpson of Alton on January 6, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Simpson was born May 27, 1953, in Alton to Dr. Raymond and Antigone "Andy" (Kodros) Simpson; his father preceded him in death; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Simpson and the former Nancy Muha were married on June 18, 1976; and

WHEREAS, A 1971 graduate of Alton High School, he was a member of the tennis team and qualified for the State tournament his senior year; his love for the game of tennis came from his father at an early age, and he passed his love of the game onto his son, Rob; and

WHEREAS, He attended Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he was inducted into Beta Beta Beta, a national honorary biological society, and Theta Chi Delta, a national honorary chemistry society; he was also voted Most Valuable Player on the Carthage tennis team; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from Carthage, he attended the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine, where he was a member of Durlacher, as academic honor society; he completed his residency in podiatric surgery at the University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics; he had many articles published in medical journals and delivered many lectures in the Chicago area; after returning to Alton in 1980, Dr. Simpson began a private podiatry practice and continued until his death; and

WHEREAS, His active interest in tennis did not stop after college; from 1986 until his death, he was chairman of the Bud Simpson Prize Money Tennis Tournament; in 1987 and 1988, he was the men's tennis coach at Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC); from 1989 until 1991, he served as chairman of the tennis committee for Alton Park and Recreation for the development and construction of the Dr. Raymond R. Simpson Tennis Center at Gordon Moore Park; and he was very involved in the St. Louis District Tennis Association and was on the Association's board for several years; and

WHEREAS, A past member of the Lewis and Clark Trailblazers Club, Dr. Simpson was instrumental in bringing the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Futures Tournaments to LCCC; he was a longtime member of St. Paul Episcopal Church in Alton and active in the vestry for many years; and

WHEREAS, He was very active in the Alton community and will be missed by all who knew and loved him, especially his wife, Nancy; his mother, Antigone "Andy" Simpson; his daughter, Kate Simpson; his son, Rob Simpson; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Iris and Bill Durland; his brothers-in-law, Jeff Muha and Drew Muha (wife, Rebecca); and many cousins, including Irene McLaughlin, Mimi Almonroeder, and Gigi Darr; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dr. R. Robert Simpson 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 be presented to the family of Dr. R. Robert Simpson as an expression of our deepest sympathy.