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92_SR0080
LRB9208508KBkb
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 George Gus Kerasotes of Springfield, Illinois, who passed
5 away on March 15, 2001; and
6 WHEREAS, George Kerasotes was born in Springfield,
7 Illinois, on March 27, 1911; his parents were Gus and Flora
8 Staikos Kerasotes; in 1947 he married Marjorie Marie Rourke;
9 and
10 WHEREAS, George Kerasotes received a degree in business
11 from the University of Illinois in 1933, and from 1935 to
12 1937 studied law at the Lincoln College of Law; and
13 WHEREAS, George Kerasotes, along with his brothers,
14 helped his father in the family theater business; three
15 theaters, all local, were the core of the business in 1935;
16 today there 225 theaters across the Midwest; and
17 WHEREAS, From 1935 to 1985 George Kerasotes was past
18 president and chairman of Kerasotes Theatres and was past
19 president and acting chairman of George Kerasotes Corp. and
20 GKC Theatres, Inc. from 1985 to the present; he was past
21 president of Theater Owners of Illinois; from 1959 to 1960 he
22 was past president of Theater Owners of America; and he was
23 chairman of the board of Theater Owners of America from 1960
24 to 1962; and
25 WHEREAS, George Kerasotes was recognized as being one of
26 the top 20-ranked theater owners; he served in varied
27 positions with the National Association of Theater Owners,
28 including treasurer, sitting on the board of directors and
29 executive committee, and sitting as chairman of the insurance
30 committee; and
31 WHEREAS, George Kerasotes was instrumental in the
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1 building of St. Anthony's Hellenic Greek Orthodox Church in
2 Springfield; he served as director of the church for many
3 years; he was the director of the Hellenic Golf Classic, Will
4 Rogers Hospitals, and the Pioneers; he was a member of the
5 Illini Country Club, the Island Bay Yacht Club, the Sangamo
6 Club, and Springs Country Club of Rancho Mirage, California;
7 and
8 WHEREAS, George Kerasotes was named the Robert W. Selig
9 Showster of the Year in 1982; he received the National
10 Association of Theater Owners Merit Medallion in 1971, the
11 National Association of Theater Owners Special Award of Merit
12 in 1986, the Theater Owners of America Award of Appreciation
13 in 1961, the Will Rogers Outstanding Service Award in 1981,
14 and the Variety Golden Heart Award in 1964; he was listed in
15 the Who's Who in Executives and Professionals 1999-2000, and
16 the Who's Who in the International Motion Picture Almanac;
17 and
18 WHEREAS, The passing of George Kerasotes will be deeply
19 felt by all who knew and loved him, especially his wife,
20 Marjorie; his son, Michael Kerasotes; his daughter, Beth
21 Kerasotes; his brother, John Kerasotes; and several nieces
22 and nephews; therefore, be it
23 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL
24 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we extend our
25 sympathies to the family and friends of George Kerasotes
26 during this time; and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
28 presented to the family of George Kerasotes.