SR1122 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1122 LRB101 21164 ECR 71708 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Dorothy Agnes Tracy of Mt. Sterling, who passed away on March 27, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Tracy was born to Lawrence and Marie Curtin in Taylorville on January 21, 1929; she grew up on their farm in Blue Mound and attended Stonington Community High School before graduating from Sacred Heart Academy in Springfield; she graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in education in 1949; while at the university, she met Robert Francis Tracy, and they were married in Stonington on June 9, 1949; and

WHEREAS, In 1960, the Tracys started their business, Associated Dairy Products Company; though Dorothy often worked as a substitute teacher at St. Mary School and Brown County High School in Mt. Sterling, she also assisted Robert in running the new company, functioning as secretary and bookkeeper and even helping make deliveries of food products to their customers; in honor of Dorothy, Associated Dairy Products Company changed its name to Dot Associated Dairy Products Company in 1966 before being renamed Dot Foods in 1981; today, the $8.1 billion company is the largest food industry redistributor in North America and is still owned and operated by the Tracy family; Dot Foods employs 6,400 people in 16 locations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including 2,800 at its Mt. Sterling corporate headquarters; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Tracy was active in the Holy Family Catholic Church in Mt. Sterling, where she often played the organ; she was also a member of the National T.T.T. Society chapter in Mt. Sterling, served on the Brown County School Board, and played bridge in several local clubs; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy had a philanthropic spirit and volunteered and supported many local charities; she is known for her role in helping build the Mt. Sterling Community Center YMCA, which opened in 2004; construction of the facility was paid for by Robert and Dorothy Tracy, the Tracy Family Foundation, and Dot Foods; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Tracy was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; her parents; her sister, Catherine Trueblood; and her brothers, Bill Curtin and Leo Curtin; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy is survived by her 12 children, Donald (Wanda), Patrick (Jane), Thomas (Catherine), Anne (Ray) Capestrain, James (Jil), Jean (Mike) Buckley, John (Linda), Mary (Jay) Sullivan, Susan (Scott) Stamerjohn, Jane (Fred) Schmidt, Joseph (Jill), and Richard (Adina); 46 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; her brothers, Paul (Gail) Curtin, Larry Curtin, and John (Alice) Curtin; and her sister-in-law, Nancy Curtin; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dorothy Agnes Tracy and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dorothy Tracy as an expression of our deepest sympathy.