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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Lt. Thomas M. "Tommy" Houser of Sullivan,
4who passed away on February 27, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Lt. Houser was born in Decatur to Thomas R. and
6Nona (Bodine) Houser on March 3, 1967; he married Elizabeth
7Myers in Decatur on June 18, 1988; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Lt. Houser's law enforcement career spanned more
9than 31 years; he started with the Sullivan Police Department;
10he then served in the Moultrie County Sheriff's Department
11before joining the Illinois State Police after graduating in
12Cadet Class 100; and
 
13    WHEREAS, As an officer in the Illinois State Police, Lt.
14Houser was first assigned to District 10 Patrol; he transferred
15to Zone 5 Investigations in 2002, where he served in the
16capacity of the Methamphetamine Response Team; he was promoted
17to Sergeant in 2006; he became a hostage negotiator for the
18Illinois State Police in 2007; he took command of the East
19Central Illinois Task Force (ECITF) and was promoted to Master
20Sergeant in 2009; he became the Zone 5 Lieutenant and
21transitioned within the department to the Division of Criminal
22Investigation (DCI) in 2015, where he proudly remained for the

 

 

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1duration of his career, in addition to serving as Chief of
2Staff for Colonel Jill Rizzs; he supervised General Criminal
3Investigations, the East Central Illinois Task Force, and the
4Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group; he was
5promoted to Lieutenant in 2018; he retired from the Illinois
6State Police on October 1, 2019; and
 
7    WHEREAS, During his career, Lt. Houser was awarded a Life
8Saving Award, a department commendation, multiple letters of
9appreciation, and a Certificate of Recognition; he
10consistently performed his duties to the highest standards and
11personally epitomized the Illinois State Police's tenets of
12Integrity, Service, and Pride; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Lt. Houser was a member of the Sullivan Faith
14Lutheran Church, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #41, Teamsters
15Local 700, and the Moultrie County Dive Team; he also served as
16a Moultrie County Dare Officer; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Lt. Houser was preceded in death by his father,
18Thomas R. Houser; his mother-in-law, Nancy Myers; and his
19maternal and paternal grandparents; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Lt. Houser is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; his
21sons, Kyler T. Houser and Kedrick H. Houser; Kedrick's fiancé,
22Keeley Benning; his mother, Nona Houser; his father-in-law,

 

 

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1James Myers (Helen); his brother, Richard L. (Justi) Houser;
2his sister, Michele (Chris) Brownlow; his stepbrother, James
3(Karen) Hancock; his niece, Raeshel (Stephen) Duncan; his
4nephews, Dominick (Tabatha) Braden, Austin Cory (Robin), and
5Dalton Brownlow; his great-niece, Layne Cory, with another
6great-niece expected in June; his great-nephews, Cannon and
7Talon Bradon; his special aunt, Maggie Myers; his several other
8beloved aunts and uncles; his friends; and the law enforcement
9officers' families; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12Lt. Thomas M. "Tommy" Houser and extend our sincere condolences
13to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be
14it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of Lt. Houser as an expression of our
17deepest sympathy.