SR0073 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0073 LRB097 10535 KXB 50866 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Robert St. Peters of Alton, who passed away on February 8, 2011; and

WHEREAS, Robert was born on September 20, 1923, at St. Joseph Hospital in Alton, exactly one year to the day after his brother, Leonard O. St. Peters, was born; and

WHEREAS, He was the son of Helen V. (Boercker) St. Peters and Leonard A. St. Peters; he attended SS Peter and Paul School and Marquette High School; after graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy where he was assigned to the USS Franklin in Norfolk, Virginia; he eventually authored two books about the USS Franklin; after World War II, he attended St. Francis Seminary in Loretto, Pennsylvania, for one year and worked at General Electric in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, He met and later married Helen Loretta Lowrey on June 12, 1948, in Philadelphia; the family moved back to Alton, where he worked at McDonnell Douglas for about 25 years; and

WHEREAS, He had a long history of service to historical preservation in Alton; he was one of the founders of the Alton Area Landmarks Association and was its president for about 30 years; he worked tirelessly to save the Alton riverfront and the site of the Lincoln-Douglas debate; he was recognized with the Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award and a day was dedicated by the City of Alton as the Robert E. St. Peters Day for his community efforts; and

WHEREAS, He was president of the Legion of Mary for many years at Cathedral, his parish; because of his interest in music, he learned to play the Hawaiian guitar as a teenager; later in life he became involved in music at Lewis and Clark Community College, participating in concerts and programs for local nursing homes; and

WHEREAS, As a survivor on the USS Franklin, he attended yearly USS Franklin reunions and his dedication to his crewmates and his ship never wavered; he served for many years as the president of the USS Franklin Museum Association; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; and

WHEREAS, Robert St. Peters is survived by his current wife, Jeeranan "Nan"; his son, Robert B.; and his daughters, Helen Rehn, Joan Beccard, and Janice St. Peters; he will be greatly missed by his eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Robert St. Peters; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Robert St. Peters as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.