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91_SR0401
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1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to
3 express their sincere condolences to the family and friends
4 of John Thomas "Doc" La Via, Jr. of Moorestown, Illinois, who
5 recently passed away; and
6 WHEREAS, John Thomas La Via, Jr. was a native of
7 Elizabeth, Illinois; and
8 WHEREAS, John Thomas La Via, Jr. was a former English
9 teacher at Moorestown Friends School, where he taught for
10 eleven years until his retirement last June; he previously
11 taught at St. Mary's Hall/Doane Academy in Burlington City;
12 and
13 WHEREAS, John Thomas La Via, Jr. graduated in 1957 from
14 Jefferson High School in Elizabeth; he was a 1961 graduate of
15 Rutgers University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa;
16 he earned his Ph.D in English from Duke University; he
17 previously taught at Duke as well as the University of North
18 Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Maryland at
19 College Park, and Rutgers University; and
20 WHEREAS, John Thomas La Via, Jr. was an avid baseball
21 fan, often reciting in full uniform "Casey at the Bat" in his
22 English classes; he deeply appreciated bird watching, which
23 instilled in him a deep love for all of God's natural things,
24 and while on a trip to Alaska's Attu Island with his two
25 sons, he passed away doing what he loved to do best; and
26 WHEREAS, The passing of John Thomas La Via, Jr. will be
27 deeply felt by all who knew him, especially his wife of forty
28 years, Johanna; his sons, Vernon and John; his daughter,
29 Wendy La Via Archer; his brother; and three grandchildren;
30 and
31 WHEREAS, John Thomas La Via, Jr. will be remembered by
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1 his colleagues and former students, whom he touched not only
2 in their minds but also in their lives; therefore, be it
3 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIRST GENERAL
4 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
5 all who knew him, the death of John Thomas La Via, Jr.; and
6 be it further
7 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to the family of John Thomas La Via, Jr.