SR1035 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Peter J. Burns, Jr. of Phoenix, Arizona, formerly of Moline, who passed away on September 2, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Burns was born in Englewood, New Jersey on January 12, 1928 to Peter J. and Alice Corriston Burns; he graduated in 1947 from Cliffside Park High School, where he served on the student council, played football, and was selected as the "Best Looking Guy"; he graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska in Omaha; he married Harriet F. Schmidt on March 10, 1951 in Riverside Church in New York City; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Burns joined the United States Army in 1949; he retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1979 after 30 years; during his time in the Army, he served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars and had assignments around the world; he received the Purple Heart in 1966; he spent the last 7 years of his military career at the Rock Island Arsenal with 5 years as an inspector general at the U.S. Army Armament Readiness Command and a final 2 as the Rock Island Arsenal's deputy commander; upon retiring from the Army, he worked 12 years as a facilities manager for the First National Bank of the Quad Cities, overseeing the construction of 5 branch banks and the installation of the first ATMs; he retired in 1991 to focus on community service; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Burns was a member of the Rock Island Arsenal Golf Club, the Milan Rifle Club, Rock Island Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1303, Moline American Legion Post 246, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 299, the Moline Elks, the Rock Island and Moline Conservation Clubs, and Ducks Unlimited; he was an Illinois hunter safety instructor, past board member and vice-president of the Quad Cities Conservation Alliance, and former member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Moline; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Burns was preceded in death by his wife, Harriet; his parents; his sister and brother-in-law, Ann Carol and Frank Rogers; and his sister-in-law, Anne; and

WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Burns is survived by his children, Pamela Burns (Stephen) Yeamans and Peter J. Burns III; his grandchildren, Michael Z. Burns, Sloan Burns Smith, and Lizette Burns Smith; his sister, Mary Alice "Mickey" (James) Damurjian; and his brother, Robert T. (Nancy) Burns; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Peter J. Burns, Jr., and extend our sincere condolences 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 the family of Lt. Col. Burns as an expression of our deepest sympathy.