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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Leroy O. Hensley of Gifford, who passed
4away on August 12, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Leroy Hensley was born at home in Westville to
6Olin Vern and Hazel Cravens Hensley on September 10, 1922; he
7attended first grade in Westville and then a one-room school in
8Jenkins; he graduated from Westville High School, where he was
9a part of the orchestra and band and a drum major his senior
10year; he took part in the chorus, plays, and debate team and
11was chosen for the school honor society, Owls, his junior and
12senior years; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Leroy Hensley attended business school in
14Danville and was then employed by the Vermilion County Highway
15Department; he was then hired by the U.S. Army Air Force at
16Chanute Air Force Base; in November of 1942, he entered the
17active Air Force and was assigned to the Santa Anna Army Air
18Base; he returned home in 1943 and married Mary Wargo on August
1914, 1943, while on leave; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Leroy Hensley transferred to Camp Pinedale,
21California as part of a cadre being formed to go to the South
22Pacific; while there, the war with Japan ended, and he was

 

 

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1transferred to Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho; he was discharged
2in November of 1945; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Leroy Hensley returned to employment at Chanute
4Air Force Base; after five years at Chanute, he transferred to
5Parks Air Force Base in Pleasanton, California; after five
6years there, he returned to Chanute as the M&S Group Material
7Officer; he received the Air Force Commendation Medal for his
8management of Secretary McNamara's Cost Reduction Program; he
9also received an Air Force Commendation Medal for his
10accomplishments as Chief, Logistic Division, Resource
11Management Group; he retired as Chief, Plans and Programs
12Division in 1980; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Leroy Hensley was active in Rantoul functions; he
14was a member of the committee that wrote the first Village
15zoning ordinance and served on the zoning appeals board for
16several years, most of them as chairman; he was Past Master of
17the local Masonic Lodge, served as governor of the Rantoul
18Moose Lodge, was district vice president, and a member of the
19state board for 12 years, where he served as state membership
20chair and attained the Honorary Pilgrim Degree, which is the
21highest degree in the Moose; he was president of the East
22Central Illinois Chapter of the National Active and Retired
23Federal Employees Association for many years; he served on the
24state board for 11 years as district vice president, second

 

 

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1vice president, and state membership chairman; he was also a
2member of Rantoul American Legion Post 287; he served as an AAU
3swimming official from 1953 to 1955 and officiated Pan-American
4tryouts at Mare Island, California from 1954 to 1955; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Leroy Hensley's biggest pride was his family, and
6he enjoyed family gatherings; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Leroy Hensley was preceded in death by his wife of
870 years, Mary Catherine; his parents; his sons-in-law, Duane
9Albers and Faustino Hernandez; his sister, Winifred Mae; and
10his brother, Harmon Oliver; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Leroy Hensley is survived by his daughters,
12Linette Albers and Deborah Hensley; his grandson, Todd (Angie)
13Albers; his sisters-in-law, Ann Knach and Margaret Cornwell;
14and numerous nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
16ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
17Leroy O. Hensley and extend our sincere condolences to his
18family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
19further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to the family of Leroy Hensley as an expression of

 

 

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1our deepest sympathy.