SR1512 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1512 LRB098 22770 MST 61717 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Marguerite Sara "Rete" Kaufman of Woodstock, who passed away on August 16, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Marguerite Kaufman was born in Woodstock on August 14, 1913 to the Reverend Dr. Roger and Blanche (nee Hostetter) Kaufman; she was a member of Grace Lutheran Church and graduated from Woodstock Public High School in 1931; she received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carthage College in 1935 and later earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in library science from the University of Illinois; she also took doctoral-level courses; and

WHEREAS, Marguerite Kaufman's professional career began with 2 years of intermittent teaching assignments; she spent several years teaching at Woodstock Community High School, eventually also serving as the school's librarian; she then moved to Iowa to work as teacher-librarian at the State School for the Blind; advancing professionally in her field necessitated several geographic moves, which included working as a librarian at Midland College in Nebraska, then at Carthage College, the University of Illinois Architecture Library, and Elmhurst College; she then moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts and spent 6 years as the architecture reference librarian at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design; she returned to Illinois and served as the Head Librarian of the Art and Architecture Library and as Assistant Professor of Library Administration at the University of Illinois; she retired from the University of Illinois in 1974 and returned to Woodstock; and

WHEREAS, Marguerite Kaufman was an avid White Sox fan and an enthusiastic bird watcher with the local Audubon Society; from 1980 to 1998, she fed her love of learning and sense of adventure by traveling via train and bus to 29 different elderhostels across the United States; she also enjoyed walking, tending to indoor and outdoor plants, participating in Grace Lutheran Church's women's circles, and attending Retired Teacher Association events; among extended family members, she was known for her carefully chosen gifts of books to the children and for the designer Barbie doll clothing she sewed by hand; and

WHEREAS, Marguerite Kaufman was preceded in death by her parents and brother; and

WHEREAS, Marguerite Kaufman is survived by cousins, Edna Steadman, Dan (Marilyn) Steadman and children, Bruce (Lois) Gerloff and children, Brian (Carole) Gerloff and children, Pamela Gerloff, Jane Gerloff (god-daughter), Lisa (Bill) Gerloff Banker, and Carl (Dagmar) Lofgren and children; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Marguerite Sara "Rete" Kaufman, and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

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