Full Text of SR0368 100th General Assembly
SR0368 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | SR0368 | | LRB100 08424 MST 18540 r |
|
| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 | | learn of the death of John Thomas Thompson Jr. of Danville, who | 4 | | passed away on September 18, 2016; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, John Thompson Jr. was born in Westville to John T. | 6 | | Sr. and Mae (Bubelis) Thompson on February 28, 1931; he | 7 | | graduated from Saint Mary's Grade School in 1946 and Georgetown | 8 | | High School in 1950, where he excelled in football and | 9 | | basketball, setting records in both sports; he served in the | 10 | | United States Navy for four years during the Korean War and | 11 | | married Josephine "Jo Ann" Ann Sakotnik in Westville on October | 12 | | 22, 1955; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, John Thompson Jr. worked for the Norfolk & Western | 14 | | Railroad (formerly the Wabash Railroad) as a switchman, | 15 | | retiring in 1981 after 26 years; he also managed the Shields | 16 | | Restaurant in Hegeler/Home Gardens and worked as a part-time | 17 | | constable for Vermilion County; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, John Thompson Jr. was a life-member of Saint | 19 | | Mary's Catholic Church in Westville and a life-member of the | 20 | | United Transportation Union; he was a member of the Knights of | 21 | | Columbus, Westville American Legion Post #51 for 61 years, and | 22 | | the 40 & 8 for 60 years; he was a past member of the Moose, the |
| | | SR0368 | - 2 - | LRB100 08424 MST 18540 r |
|
| 1 | | Navy Club, and the Elks; and | 2 | | WHEREAS, John Thompson Jr. was a lifelong member of the | 3 | | Democratic Party; he was a precinct committeeman for 55 years, | 4 | | and a Vermilion County Democrat Chairman for 10 years; he | 5 | | received several awards and accolades for his service to the | 6 | | Democratic Party; during his term as Chairman, he was | 7 | | instrumental in electing county board members to change the | 8 | | board from Republican to Democrat; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, John Thompson Jr. loved sports and cheering for | 10 | | the St. Louis Cardinals; in his earlier years, he played and | 11 | | managed Twilight League Ball; he coached American Legion Youth | 12 | | Baseball; he enjoyed golf, gardening, and most of all spending | 13 | | time with his children, grandchildren, and | 14 | | great-grandchildren; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, John Thompson Jr. participated in the Georgetown | 16 | | Fair, entering rabbits as a youngster and flowers as an adult; | 17 | | he supported Saint Mary's Catholic Church Labor Day weekend | 18 | | festivities, where he enjoyed selling raffle tickets; he | 19 | | volunteered delivering Meals on Wheels through CRIS Senior | 20 | | Services for many years and catered special occasions with his | 21 | | wife and family; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, John Thompson Jr. was preceded in death by his |
| | | SR0368 | - 3 - | LRB100 08424 MST 18540 r |
|
| 1 | | parents and his sister, JoAnn Shapuras; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, John Thompson Jr. is survived by his wife of over | 3 | | 60 years, Jo Ann; his daughters, Deborah (Timothy) Strako, and | 4 | | Christina (Robert) Dietzen; his grandchildren, Amanda Widell | 5 | | (Dylan McKenzie), Matthew (Eryca) Strako, Joslyn Dietzen, and | 6 | | Aleksas Dietzen; his great-grandchildren, Abigail Widell, | 7 | | Grady Widell, and Esther Strako; his step-great-grandchild, | 8 | | Emani Nelson; his brothers, Carl Thompson (Pat Stitt), Faustyn | 9 | | (Shirley) Thompson, and Iyrann (Hazel) Thompson; his sister, | 10 | | Adry Ann Swaney; his brother-in-law, William Sakotnik; his | 11 | | special niece, DiAnn Cottle; and many other nieces, nephews, | 12 | | relatives, and friends; therefore, be it
| 13 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL | 14 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 15 | | John Thomas Thompson Jr., and extend our sincere condolences to | 16 | | his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | 17 | | further
| 18 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 19 | | presented to the family of John Thompson Jr. as an expression | 20 | | of our deepest sympathy.
|
|