SR0504 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0504 LRB093 21816 HSS 49706 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with great sadness of the death of Ralph H. Ricketts of Mt. Vernon on Wednesday, April 7, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Ralph H. Ricketts was born October 27, 1926 in Hartsville, Indiana to William Ricketts and Mildred (Nighbert) Brown; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ricketts valiantly served his country during World War II in the U.S. Army; he served with the 82nd Airborne as a paratrooper in the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ricketts married Cheryl Paul on December 28, 1948 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Davenport, Iowa; and

WHEREAS, Prior to his retirement, Mr. Ricketts was Senior Vice President at Davenport Bank and Trust Company; he served on the Board of Governors for the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, worked for many years with the prison ministry, was actively involved in charities for fund raising for Catholic churches in Las Cruces and Davenport, and was a member of the Elks Club; he was an avid supporter of the Indiana Hoosiers basketball and loved golf; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Mr. Ricketts has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Cheryl; his daughters and their spouses, Karen and Calvin Hileman, Laura and Richard Norton, Anne and Matthew Blunk, and Mary K. Brent; his sons and their spouses, John and Barbara Ricketts, Jeffrey and Veronica Ricketts, Randy Ricketts, and Matthew and Michelle Ricketts; his 26 grandchildren; and his 7 great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Ralph H. Ricketts, 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 Ralph H. Ricketts as an expression of our sincere condolences.