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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Gordon "Gordy" L. Ropp of Normal, who
4passed away on April 14, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp was born in Normal to Clarence R. and
6Mabel (Mohr) Ropp on April 5, 1933; he was helping his father
7milk cows by the age of six and joined 4-H by the time he was
810, where he proudly displayed his prize-winning Jersey cow,
9Corianda; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp graduated from Normal Community High
11School as valedictorian of his class and from the University of
12Illinois in 1955; during college, he received his commission as
13a second lieutenant in the ROTC program and was a member of the
14Farm House Fraternity; he married Roberta Cutter in 1955, and
15they returned to the family farm, raising anywhere from 40 to
16100 Jersey cattle at a time; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp was employed by the Funk Seed Company
18as a young man; he was selected as a delegate to the Illinois
19Agriculture Association Convention by the McLean County Farm
20Bureau in 1960 at the age of 27; around the same time, he was
21state director of the American Dairy Association of Illinois,
22secretary-treasurer of the Illinois Jersey Cattle Club

 

 

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1Association, and president of the Dairy Herd Improvement
2Association of McLean County; he served on the executive
3committee of the American Dairy Association and as captain in
4his local National Guard; he and Roberta were also selected by
5the Pure Milk Association as the Outstanding Young Dairy Farm
6Couple for District 2; and
 
7    WHEREAS, In 1969, Gordon Ropp accepted the position as
8Assistant Director of Agriculture in Springfield; in 1970, he
9became the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture;
10during his time as director, he implemented many new programs
11and practices while continuing to promote Illinois agriculture
12across the globe; he was particular proud of the eradication of
13hog cholera, a highly contagious swine disease; he oversaw the
14implementation of the Centennial Farm Sign program, which
15continues today and recognizes Illinois farms which have been
16in a single family for 100 years; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp served as the Illinois State
18Representative for the 88th District from 1979 to 1993; he
19served on many committees, including Appropriations, Higher
20Education, Agriculture, Executive, and Public Utilities; after
21his time as a representative, he served as the Rural Affairs
22Liaison to the Secretary of State; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp retired in 1999 but remained active in

 

 

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1the McLean County community; he worked as a Unit 5 substitute
2teacher and volunteered his time with a variety of
3organizations and clubs, including 4-H, the Shriners, the
4Masons, the Royal Order of the Jesters, the David Davis Mansion
5Foundation, the Normal Rotary, the Timeless Clovers McLean
6County 4-H Alumni, McLean County Barn Quilters, the Illinois
7Jersey Cattle Club, Extension Partners, the McLean County
8Seniors Golf League, and the Prune Juice Golf League; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp received numerous awards and
10recognitions during his life, including the Clarence Ropp 4-H
11Family Spirit Award in 2003, the 4-H Volunteer in 2005, and
12Illinoisan of the Day at the Illinois State Fair in 2010; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp was dedicated to 4-H for over 75
14years; he was an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and the
15Chicago Bears; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp was an energetic and devoted leader in
17Illinois agriculture with a warm personality and an
18approachable style; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp was preceded in death by his wife,
20Roberta; his parents; his son, David; and his infant sister,
21JoAnne; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Gordon Ropp is survived by his children, Diana and
2Darren Ropp; his grandchildren, Shana (Kevin Mulloy) Emberton,
3Jeff Emberton, Troy (Sarune) Emberton, Samantha (Josh)
4Fairbanks, Savannah Ropp, Sadie Ropp, Domonique Ropp, and
5Daniel Ropp; his great-grandchildren, Levi Emberton, Wyatt
6Emberton, Augustus Emberton, Avery Mulloy, and Emma Mulloy; and
7his brother, Ray (Carol) Ropp; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
9ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
10Gordon "Gordy" L. Ropp and extend our sincere condolences to
11his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
12further
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14presented to the family of Gordon Ropp as an expression of our
15deepest sympathy.