HR1558 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1558 LRB099 24351 MST 52155 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives have learned with deep sorrow of the death of our friend and former colleague, State Representative Irvin Ronald Lawfer of Jo Daviess County, who passed away on December 18, 2016; and

WHEREAS, A native of Illinois, Representative Lawfer was born on May 15, 1934, in Kent; he attended grade school at Wards Grove School and graduated from Stockton High School in 1951; he majored in agriculture and journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he worked as a reporter, covering stories for the "Daily Illini" and the "Champaign News-Gazette"; as a young man with deep ties to agriculture, he pledged at the FarmHouse Fraternity, and presided over the house in his senior year; and

WHEREAS, Upon his graduation from the University of Illinois in 1955, Representative Lawfer married Patricia A. "Pat" Renken, who was his wife partner in life for 61 years; and

WHEREAS, In 1955, at the height of the Cold War, Representative Lawfer joined the United States Army; he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and served on the front lines of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ); he brought new Illinois findings in the reduction of soil erosion to the attention of his superior officers and was seconded to the Engineering Division of the Eighth Division, working on soil erosion reduction projects at U.S. installations throughout the peninsula and earning the Army Commendation Ribbon for his service; and

WHEREAS, Upon completing his term of enlistment as a First Lieutenant in 1957, Representative Lawfer returned to northwest Illinois and took up dairy farming in his home township; as a member of the Midwest Dairymen Cooperative, he was named Outstanding Dairyman of Jo Daviess County; he served as Director and Vice-President of the Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau, and was appointed as Chairman of the Jo Daviess County Agricultural Extension Council; known as a man who was both an operating farmer and an expert in land conservation, he won many recognitions for his expertise, including the 1986 "Master Farmer" Award from "Prairie Farmer" Magazine; he served on the Illinois Agricultural and Stabilization Committee as an appointee of United States Secretary of Agriculture, Earl Butz; and

WHEREAS, As a leading local farmer and community leader, Representative Lawfer was chosen by his neighbors for public service; he was elected as Wards Grove Township Supervisor from 1974 to 1982 and served on the Jo Daviess County Board from 1982 until 1992; in November of 1992, he ran to represent the 74th Representative District in the Illinois General Assembly, winning by a narrow margin of 860 votes; so popular was his first term service that in November of 1994, when he first ran for re-election, he faced no opposition; and

WHEREAS, Representative Lawfer served the 74th Representative District, which comprised all of Jo Daviess and Stephenson Counties, and parts of Carroll, Ogle, and Whiteside Counties; as an Illinois House member with experience in farming, land conservation, and local government, he served as minority spokesman on the House Committee on Agriculture & Conservation; he also served on Counties & Townships, Environment & Energy, and many other committees; in the 89th General Assembly, he chaired the House Committee on Aging; and

WHEREAS, When Representative Lawfer retired from the Illinois House of Representatives at the close of the 92nd General Assembly, the House recognized his service by adopting House Resolution 1127 in his honor; during his retirement, he planned on concentrating on farming and spending time with his family; and

WHEREAS, From the end of 2002 until the end of 2016, Representative Lawfer fulfilled those life plans, handing his farming heritage on to his family; and

WHEREAS, Representative Lawfer was a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church; he was baptized at St. John Lutheran Church in Massbach and confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Kent; he was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Stockton, where he served as member and Chairman of the church council; and

WHEREAS, Representative Lawfer and his wife had four daughters, Kathy, Karen, Kay, and Kristine, and a son, Ronald L.; they have nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, The death of Representative Lawfer is deeply felt by his family, friends, neighbors and all who knew him; he was one of the men of Illinois who leaves an empty space behind him when he goes; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his family and friends, mourn the passing of former State Representative Irvin Ronald Lawfer; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Representative Lawfer's widow, Patricia Lawfer, and their family as an expression of our deepest sympathy and respect.