SR1467 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1467 LRB098 22702 GRL 61636 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Judge Stanley J. Roszkowski of Rockford, who passed away on July 7, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Judge Roszkowski was born in Boonville, New York on January 27, 1923; his parents were Anna and Joseph Roszkowski; he spent most of his early years in Royalton; and

WHEREAS, Judge Roszkowski served as a nose gunner on a B-24 for the United States Army Air Corps, flying 34 missions in the European theatre during World War II from 1943 to 1945, having attained the rank of staff sergeant; after the war, he earned his bachelor's degree in 1949 and his law degree in 1954 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and

WHEREAS, Judge Roszkowski was nominated to the United States District Court in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter; for 7 years, he heard cases in Chicago full-time and in Rockford part-time; he was an advocate for a permanent court in Rockford to better serve the area; in November of 1984, he was assigned to become the first full-time district court judge of the Northern District of Illinois's Western Division, where he served until his retirement in 1998; after his retirement, he continued to work for many years as a mediator; prior to his time on the bench, he worked for 22 years as a trial lawyer in Rockford; and

WHEREAS, On October 29, 2011, the federal government dedicated the Stanley J. Roszkowski United States Courthouse in downtown Rockford in honor of Judge Roszkowski and his work; and

WHEREAS, Judge Roszkowski was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Cathy; his parents; 13 brothers and sisters; and 2 brothers-in-law; and

WHEREAS, Judge Roszkowski is survived by his 4 sons, Mark (Christie) Roszkowski, Greg (Pat) Roszkowski, Dan (Lynne) Roszkowski, and John (Maggie) Roszkowski; 4 grandchildren, Amanda, Alex, Anna, and Marc; his sister, Lovean Barnich; his sister-in-law, Jeanne Claeys; and numerous nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Judge Stanley J. Roszkowski, 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 Judge Roszkowski as an expression of our deepest sympathy.