SR0522 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Bruce Frederick Newton of Aurora, who passed away on November 6, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Newton was born in Saginaw, Michigan on December 21, 1926; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Newton was a graduate of Arthur Hill High School; after graduation, he joined the United States Navy and was assigned to the USS Planter; he attended Bay City Junior College and then enrolled in the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, where he met his future wife, Claire, whom he married in 1948; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Newton had a long and distinguished career in the art of puppetry; he delighted children for 54 years by performing throughout the Chicago area with as many as 150 puppet shows a year; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Newton's career in television began in 1949; his wonderful characters soon gained great popularity, with his shows being featured on WBKB in 1953 and the late-night Saturday program "Shock Theater" in 1956; he and his wife also worked on such shows as Kukla, Fran and Ollie, Mr. Wizard, and Wide World of Sports; he also assisted in the creation of WCIU-TV in 1964; he retired from television in 1976 and started his own company, West Park Productions, which put on tele-puppet revues throughout the Chicagoland area; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Newton's most famous puppet was Garfield Goose, the self-proclaimed "King of the United States" on the "Garfield Goose and Friends Show", which aired on WGN from 1952 until 1976; and

WHEREAS, In April of 2004, Bruce Newton and his wife were inducted into the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame; on March 15, 2000, former Mayor David Stover declared "Bruce and Claire Day" in recognition of their contributions to the city; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Newton was preceded in death by his wife and his daughter, Darry Heenan; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Newton is survived by his children, Sandy Bailey and her husband, Bill, Kim Newton and his wife, Lynne, Robin Newton Iacono and her husband, August, and Tammy Katus and her husband, Bob; his seven grandchildren; and his three great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Bruce Newton; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Bruce Newton as an expression of our sympathy.