SR1590LRB101 23202 LAW 74345 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Zuhair M. ElSaffar, Ph.D., who passed
4away on August 15, 2020 at the age of 85; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dr. ElSaffar was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1935; he
6was awarded a scholarship to study in Britain at 17, where he
7earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University College of
8North Wales in Bangor; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Dr. ElSaffar began his teaching career at Michigan
10State University in the 1960s and continued at the University
11of Baghdad, teaching physics at both schools; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Dr. ElSaffar was hired by the Oak Ridge National
13Lab in Tennessee to research nuclear magnetic resonance in
141965; a year later, he received the honor of leading Iraq's
15civilian nuclear energy program and returned to Iraq; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Dr. ElSaffar returned to the United States and
17moved to Chicago in 1968, where he served as a physics
18professor at DePaul University; he also conducted research for
19the Argonne National Laboratory; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Dr. ElSaffar moved to River Forest with his family

 

 

SR1590- 2 -LRB101 23202 LAW 74345 r

1in 1970, and he remained a River Forest resident for the rest
2of his life; he began investing in real estate in Oak Park,
3River Forest, and Forest Park in 1977; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Dr. ElSaffar suffered a stroke and retired from
5DePaul University in 1987; post-retirement, his
6entrepreneurial spirit continued, and he dedicated a majority
7of his efforts to his business and investments in the
8community; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Dr. ElSaffar is survived by his wife, Bushra; his
10five children, Azhaar, Nadia, Ali, Dena, and Amir; and his two
11grandchildren, Jamil Moore and Layla Moore; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
14Zuhair M. ElSaffar, Ph.D. and extend our sincere condolences to
15his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
16further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Dr. ElSaffar as an expression of our
19deepest sympathy.