HR0958 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0958 LRB101 23439 MST 74717 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Richard E. "Rich" Herrin, who passed away on December 25, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Rich Herrin attended several grade schools and graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1951; he graduated from McKendree University in Lebanon in 1956, where he earned 11 varsity letters in basketball, track, golf, and baseball; he received his master's degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) in the summer of 1962; and

WHEREAS, Rich Herrin married Martha Sue Cooksey on December 21, 1957, whom he met accidentally at a SIU football game in the fall of 1956; and

WHEREAS, Rich Herrin's career began in the small community of Okawville in the fall of 1956; he taught and coached the Rockets for four years, where he had great success with a team of talented and dedicated young men; he and his family moved to Benton in the summer of 1960, where he began a 25-year span of exciting and successful teaching and coaching the Rangers, compiling an astonishing record number of wins that led to 21 regional tournament wins and five trips to the state tournament; in 1982, the Benton High School gymnasium was named in his honor; and

WHEREAS, Rich Herrin began his college coaching career at SIU in 1985, leading the Salukis for 13 years; he was named the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Coach of the Year in 1990 and led the Salukis to their first and only three-peat by winning the MVC Tournament three times in a row, which allowed the Salukis to play in the NCAA tournament three times, in 1993, 1994, and 1995; in 2002, he began coaching for the Marion Wildcats for five years; he finalized his 52-year coaching career at Morthland College in West Frankfort, coaching five more years, where he won the Christian College National Invitational Tournament Championship in 2016; and

WHEREAS, By the end of his career, Rich Herrin had amassed an amazing total of 981 victories; many of his players earned college scholarships; a large number of his players became basketball coaches, and several played in the NBA; besides his loving family, the impact he had on so many young lives is one of his greatest legacies; and

WHEREAS, Rich Herrin received many honors during his illustrious career; in addition to the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame and the Southern Illinois Coaches Hall of Fame, he was inducted into several other halls of fame, including those of McKendree University, SIU, the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, and the Missouri Valley Conference; and

WHEREAS, Rich Herrin was known throughout most of his life as "Coach Herrin" and taught his players many skills, both on and off the basketball court; and

WHEREAS, Rich Herrin dedicated decades of his life in service to the youth of Southern Illinois and had a lasting impact on the lives of his players, students, family, and friends; and

WHEREAS, Rich Herrin was a treasured husband, father, grandfather, coach, and friend; and

WHEREAS, Rich Herrin was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Ron; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Elizabeth and Ben Cooksey; his brothers-in-law, Glen Zilmer and Jack Richey; his niece, Tara (Zilmer) Kaiser; and his great-nephew, Cameron Herrin Vennard; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Coach Richard E. "Rich" Herrin and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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