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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of former 
4Mayor John F. McNamara of Rockford, who passed away on 
5September 30, 2020; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, John  McNamara was born  to John I. and Marian 
7McNamara on August 27, 1939; he graduated from Notre Dame in 
81961 and received his law degree from the University of 
9Michigan in 1964; he served in the U.S. Army from 1964 until 
101966  during which he did a tour in Saigon as a captain in Army 
11intelligence and earned a Bronze Star; he married his wife 
12Barbara in 1965; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, After his service, John McNamara and his wife 
14moved to Rockford; there, he worked as a public defender before 
15going into private practice, first as a partner in the firm of 
16King & McNamara and later with O'Brien, Healy, Wade, Abate, 
17McNamara, & Gorman; later in life, he  worked at William Charles 
18Investments and then served as the Vice President for 
19Institutional Advancement at Rockford University, helping the 
20institution through its own challenging financial times until 
21retiring in 2016; and
  
 
22    WHEREAS, In 1974, John McNamara was appointed to fill the 
 
 
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1vacant 3rd Ward alderman seat by then Rockford Mayor Robert 
2McGaw; he was then elected to the position in 1975 and served 
3until 1979; he then  served two terms as Mayor of Rockford from 
41981 until 1989, leading the city past a severe depression with 
5relentless optimism and aggressive leadership; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, John McNamara supported his son Tom as he sought 
7elected office, first as he won election to the seat of 3rd 
8Ward alderman and in his position as the  current mayor of 
9Rockford; and
 
10    WHEREAS, John McNamara was preceded in death by his loving 
11parents; his sisters, Maureen Faulkner and Tess Syron; and his 
12parents-in-law, Verl and Katherine Runkle; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, John McNamara is survived by his beloved wife, 
14Barbara; his children, John (Mary Maguire) McNamara, Kate 
15(Terry) Bourbeau, Dan (Sarah Bursley) McNamara, Mary (Ben 
16Bernsten) McNamara Bernsten, Nell (Cameron McLaughlin) 
17McNamara, and Thomas (Sarah Reed) McNamara; and his 16  
18grandchildren; therefore, be it
  
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
20HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
21we mourn the passing of former Mayor John F. McNamara and 
22extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and 
 
 
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1all who knew and loved him; and be it further
  
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
3presented to the family of John McNamara as an expression of 
4our deepest sympathies.