HR0938 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0938 LRB100 21294 MST 37576 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Richard Odum Hart of Benton, who passed away on March 12, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart was born in Benton to Marion Murphy and Constance (Skinner) Hart on December 13, 1927; he graduated from Benton High School in 1945 and served as a signalman in the U.S. Navy from 1945 through 1946, attaining the rank of Seaman First Class; he graduated from the University of Illinois in 1951 with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, majoring in political science and minoring in economics; he married Carolyn Coddington on December 23, 1951; he earned his Juris Doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis in 1954 and was admitted to the Illinois Bar on November 15, 1954; he was also admitted to Practice Federal Courts in 1954; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart was President of the First District Federation of Local Bar Associations in 1962, Director of the Bank of Sesser from 1964-1991, and President of the Franklin County Bar Association from 1964-1965 and 2000-2001; he was a Senior Partner at the law firm of Hart & Hart; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart was a charter member of Board of Directors Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. of Illinois from 1964 to 2007 and past Chairman of the Board of Directors; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart was an honorary Life Member of the SIU School of Law Alumni Association and received the Founders Medal from the SIU School of Law in March of 1999; he was a founding member and past President of the Franklin County Chapter CASA, a founding Director of the Franklin County Habitat for Humanity, and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Rend Lake Conservancy District from 2005 to 2007; he was a member of the Benton Rotary Club, B.P.O.E. #1234 (Benton Elks), and the Benton American Legion Post #280; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart was a former President of the Benton Civic and Industrial Association, Inc., a former President of the Benton Area Chamber of Commerce, a former member of the Benton Planning Commission and a former member of the Shagbark Girl Scout Council Board of Directors and General Council; he served on the Board of Directors for Southern Illinois Incorporated from 1980 to 1982; he was a former member of the Community Advisory Board of WSIU-TV and WUSI-TV, Carbondale and Olney and a former member of the Board of Directors of WSIU-WUSI Radio and TV; and he was a life member of the SIU Alumni Association and the University of Illinois Alumni Association; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart served as State Representative for the 58th District from 1969 to 1971 and for the 59th District from 1972 to 1978; he was the Democrat Caucus Chairman from 1977 to 1978; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart was admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1990; he was a member of Franklin County and Illinois State Bar Associations, the Second Circuit Probate Law Study Group, a Fellow with the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel, and a member of the American Law Institute; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart was a founding member of the board of directors of the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company from 1989 to 1993, a member of the Board of Governors of the Illinois State Bar Association from 1990 to 1996 where he received the ISBA Board of Governors Award in 1997, and a member of the Illinois Bar Assembly from 1984 to 1996; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart enjoyed playing golf, fishing, and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchild; he was a member of the First Christian Church of Benton for nearly 80 years, where he served as a Trustee and was a former Deacon; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Jennifer Hart; and his brother, James O. Hart; and

WHEREAS, Richard Hart is survived by his wife of 66 years, Carolyn; his sons, Murphy C. (Jody) and Paul R. (Kim) Hart; his grandchildren, Ryan Hart, Caleb Hart, and Ali (Dallas) Herndon; his great-granddaughter, Ruby Herndon; his niece, Janice (Roger) Legendre; his nephew, James (Jayna) Hart; and his longtime assistant, Edie (John) Jones; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Richard Odum Hart, 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 Richard Hart as an expression of our deepest sympathy.