SR0617 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0617 LRB093 22662 HSS 52298 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with sadness of the death of John Heller Beckman of Darien, formerly of Downers Grove and Western Springs, on June 9, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Beckman was born in Cumberland, Maryland, on January 22, 1923, to John M. and Esther Heller Beckman; he was Valedictorian of his high school class in Cumberland; and

WHEREAS, Following high school, Mr. Beckman valiantly served his country in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II; while in the U.S. Army, he was granted his first patent for a military equipment design; after the war, he attended Iowa State University on the GI Bill and earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1948; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Beckman's entire 38 year corporate career was spent with Union Carbide Corporation, beginning at Linde Division in New York and Indianapolis; he retired from Films Packaging Division in Chicago in 1985, where he had risen to become vice president of Research and Development; a prolific researcher and inventor, he was granted over 30 patents, both within Union Carbide and privately; some of the collaborative research on cryogenics he conducted over 30 years ago at Linde is cited as the single most important cryogenic development in the last 50 years; and

WHEREAS, Other areas in which Mr. Beckman held patents included water desalination, refrigeration, and meat processing; upon retiring from Union Carbide, he stated that he would never truly retire; he formed BDC Inc. to continue his research and he was granted three additional patents; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Mr. Beckman has been deeply felt by many, especially his large, loving family, including his wife, Julia Kennedy Beckman; his former wife, Lily Knott Beckman; his children, Margaret Alvarez (Frank), Kathryn Goldberg (Michael Notaro), Dr. Jeanne Beckman (William Barasa), John L. (Sherry), James, Carolyn Binkley (Dale Mason), and Julia R.; his stepchildren, Benjamin Blume (Christiane Saada), Alec Blume (Gina Taylor), and Dr. Eileen Gavin (James); his nine grandchildren; his seven step-grandchildren; his sisters, Mary Jane Rice (Leo, deceased) and Beverly Lauder (Calvin); and his brothers, Daniel (Eva) and Michael (Alma Jean); therefore, be it

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