SR0761 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0761 LRB093 24242 HSS 54451 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of former Senate President William "Bill" C. Harris of Pontiac on December 30, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Senator Harris was born May 7, 1921, in Pontiac to Raleigh J. and Bernadine (Cullen) Harris; he graduated from Pontiac grade and high schools; he entered Michigan State University in the fall of 1941, and in December 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy; while at Great Lakes, he was named honor man out of a class of 750 in the naval program; and

WHEREAS, Senator Harris valiantly served his country during World War II as aviation chief ordinance man in the South Pacific and was honorably discharged in December of 1945; after returning to Pontiac, he joined the R.J. Harris Funeral Home as a partner; on May 31, 1947, he married Jeanne Turck in Pontiac at the original Grace Episcopal Church on the square; and

WHEREAS, In May 1948, he became the charter president of Pontiac Jaycees; he was also a charter member of the Saint James Hospital advisory board, and a member of the Moose, Pontiac Elks Lodge, Lions Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and the Voiture 8 et 8 in Pontiac; and

WHEREAS, First elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1954 at the age of 33, he was the House Whip during his six years of tenure in that body; in 1960, he was elected to the Senate, and during his 16 years of service, he held the position of assistant majority leader and was elected the first President of the Senate under the new Illinois Constitution; during his tenure in the Senate, he was chairman of the Budgetary Commission and was the first chairman of the Economic and Fiscal Commission, successor to the Budgetary Commission, and he was elected "Most Effective Senator" three consecutive years; and

WHEREAS, In 1977, he was appointed by Governor Jim Thompson as Commissioner of Banks and Trust Companies, a position he held until he retired in January 1991; while serving as commissioner, he also served as chairman of the board of the National Conference of State Bank Supervisors and was a board member of the C.S.B.S., Washington, D.C., for eight years; and

WHEREAS, Senator Harris was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Miami in 1968; he served as trustee of the Humiston Haven Nursing Home, trustee of the Appolos Camp, Bennet Humiston Trust since 1975, and trustee on the Floyd and Alta Byrne Trust; he served as a senior vice president of Cole Taylor Bank, as a board member of the Community Bank of Pittsfield, and as ambassador at-large to the Community Bankers of Illinois; he was chairman of the World Trade Association of Illinois for two years, a board member of the Cradle in Evanston for many years, and then was an Emeritus Member of the Cradle Board; he was a member of Grace Episcopal Church in Pontiac; and

WHEREAS, A staunch Republican, Senator Harris was widely respected regardless of partisan politics, and he will be remembered as a great people person and as always having a smile and an upbeat attitude; on the statewide scene, the City of Pontiac was synonymous with Bill Harris; he was a part of the history and depth of Pontiac and of Illinois history; in the Senate, he was known to "reach across the political aisle" and was supportive of needs across the State; and

WHEREAS, The passing of William C. Harris has been felt by many, especially his wife Jeanne; his children, Barbara A. Harris and Charles M. (Robin) Harris; and his grandchildren, Lindsey J. Schrof and Jenna Harris; he was preceded in death by his mother, Bernadine Harris; his father, Raleigh J. Harris; his sister, Helen Elizabeth Harris; and his brother, Raleigh J. Harris Jr.; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Senator William C. Harris, a man who will be remembered for his integrity and thoroughness in the job, 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 his family as an expression of our deepest sympathy.