SR0461 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0461 LRB093 21506 HSS 48647 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Eugene H. "Gene" Rawhoof of Zion on Thursday, March 4, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Rawhoof was born on October 15, 1923 in Hardin County and spent his early years in Pope County; he valiantly served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II; he was with the Third Fleet aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Rawhoof moved to Lake County in 1946, where he married his wife, Virginia, in 1949; he worked at Manville Corporation in Waukegan for several years before being elected Business Representative of the International Chemical Workers Union (ICWU) Local 60; and

WHEREAS, In 1968, Mr. Rawhoof became International Representative for ICWU, a position he held until retirement in 1988; during this time, he also served in many positions with the AFL-CIO, including president of the Lake County AFL-CIO Council (now Northeastern Illinois Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO), chairman of the tenth congressional district COPE, and Senior Consultant with the Illinois State AFL-CIO; and

WHEREAS, In recent years, Mr. Rawhoof served as an officer in the Illinois Dunesland Preservation Society, a 60-year-old organization devoted to the preservation, protection, and improvement of Illinois Beach State Park, Lake Michigan, and the surrounding area; he was active in many community organizations, including as a member of Our Savior's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zion, as a former chairman of the Zion Police & Fire Commission, as a member of the Board of Directors of the Lake County Community Action Program and the Lake County Council on Alcoholism, as a member of the Lake County Governmental Study Commission II, as a volunteer for numerous Red Cross and United Way campaigns, and as a member of the National Council of Senior Citizens and its successor organization, the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), and AARP; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Rawhoof was a driving force within the Democratic Party, serving as a precinct committeeman for many years, a delegate to the 1988 Democratic Nominating Convention, and an officer of the Lake County Democratic Central Committee; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Eugene H. "Gene" Rawhoof has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Virginia H. (nee Riske) Rawhoof; his children, Donald E. Rawhoof and Sandra A. (Gary) Kern; his grandsons, Gary Dale and Travis Eugene Kern; his sisters, Madeline Carr, Catherine (Don) Riley, Ann (William) Robinson, Doris (Donny) Millis, Loris (Eugene) Walker, Violet Wyber, and Sandra and Celia Cornell; his brothers, Curtis (Betty) Carman, Everette Carman, Herschel (Francis) Carman, Hubert (Charlene) Carman, Wendell (Linda) Carman, Jerry (Bonnie) Carman, Vivia Jim Cornell, and Marvin Cornell; his aunt, Alta Hubbard; and his many nieces, nephews, and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Eugene H. "Gene" Rawhoof, and we extend our deepest sympathy 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 Eugene H. "Gene" Rawhoof as an expression of our sincere condolences.