[ Search ] [ PDF text ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
92_HR0862
LRB9216753RHrh
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives wish to express their sincere condolences to
4 the family and friends of Byron Holkenbrink, who recently
5 passed away; and
6 WHEREAS, Byron Holkenbrink served as Jacksonville's first
7 full-time mayor from 1963 through 1969; and
8 WHEREAS, Byron Holkenbrink was born on November 30, 1903
9 in Jacksonville, Illinois, to Benjamin and Rosetta Summers
10 Holkenbrink; he attended Marquette University and Hardin
11 Brown Business College; and
12 WHEREAS, Mr. Holkenbrink was first elected mayor in a
13 special election in November 1963 to replace then mayor
14 Raymond S. Watson; he was re-elected in April 1965; and
15 WHEREAS, Mr. Holkenbrink was Jacksonville fire chief
16 before being elected mayor; in addition, he worked in the
17 grocery business from 1929 through 1963, the last 20 years as
18 the owner of a neighborhood grocery store in Jacksonville;
19 and
20 WHEREAS, Mr. Holkenbrink worked with State and national
21 legislative commissions, he served as executive director for
22 several area agencies, including the Morgan County United
23 Way, Jacksonville's Department of Urban Renewal, and the
24 Illinois Law Enforcement Commission; he also served as a
25 board member for numerous area organizations, including the
26 Jacksonville Police and Fire Commission, the Jacksonville
27 Area Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Area Industrial Corp.,
28 the Illinois Police Training Commission, the Illinois
29 Municipal League, and the Visiting Nurses Association; and
30 WHEREAS, Mr. Holkenbrink was a past president of the
31 Central Illinois Mayors Association, as well as the
-2- LRB9216753RHrh
1 Jacksonville Rotary Club; he served as a board member and
2 treasurer of Elm City Rehabilitation Center and was a
3 chairman of a capital fund-raising campaign for the Barton
4 Stone nursing home; and
5 WHEREAS, Mr. Holkenbrink did extensive volunteer work in
6 a variety of areas after his retirement, particularly at
7 Passavant Area Hospital, where he was honored as volunteer of
8 the year; and
9 WHEREAS, As a young man, Mr. Holkenbrink traveled and
10 worked extensively in the West and ventured as far south as
11 the Panama Canal and as far north as Alaska; he settled in
12 Jacksonville after marrying Vivian Boston in 1925; his wife,
13 and his daughter, Carol (Russell H.) Walton preceded him in
14 death; and
15 WHEREAS, The passing of Mr. Holkenbrink will be mourned
16 by his two grandchildren, his six great-grandchildren, his
17 great-great granddaughter, his nieces and nephews, and his
18 friends; therefore, be it
19 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
20 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
21 we express our deep sorrow, along with all who knew him, at
22 the death of former mayor Bryon Holkenbrink of Jacksonville;
23 and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
25 presented to the family of Byron Holkenbrink with our sincere
26 condolences.