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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Myra Jane Rodgers Shepard of Bloomington,
4who passed away on February 5, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Myra Rodgers was born in Normal to Harry Hosler
6and Ruth Jane Smith Rodgers on October 16, 1921; she graduated
7from Bloomington High School in 1938; she earned a Bachelor of
8Arts in Economics from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1942;
9she was an honorary member of Phi Kappa Phi and a member of the
10Kappa Kappa Gamma fraternity; she married Trent Allen Shepard
11at the First M.E. Church, now Wesley United Methodist Church,
12on December 5, 1948; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Myra Rodgers served in the United States Navy's
14Women's Reserve, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency
15Service, from 1943 until 1946; she attained the rank of
16Lieutenant JG WC, communications officer in the Chief of Naval
17Operations Office in Washington, D.C., where she encoded and
18decoded top secret messages; with her GI benefits, she received
19her private pilot's license after the war; she also worked
20part-time at her father's family's business, Rodgers Shoe Co.,
21in downtown Bloomington; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Myra Rodgers was a member of Wesley United

 

 

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1Methodist Church in Bloomington; she served on many boards,
2including the Wesley United Methodist Church's Board of
3Trustees, the YWCA Board, and the Girl Scout Advisory Board;
4she was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution,
5the McLean County Historical Society, the McLean County Art
6Association, the Wesleyan University Alumni Association's
7Presidents Club, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni Board, and the
8Bloomington Country Club; she also supported the Red Cross
9Blood Mobile; she enjoyed swimming, walking, gardening,
10traveling, and spending time with her family and friends; she
11also played golf and tennis and bowled with the BCC ladies
12groups; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Myra Rodgers was preceded in death by her husband,
14Trent; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Myra Rodgers is survived by her children, Trent
16Allen Shepard Jr., Karen Jane (Jim) McNatt, Gregory Mark
17(Heather) Shepard, and Tracy Morgan (Susan Baller) Shepard; and
18her nine grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
20ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
21Myra Jane Rodgers Shepard and extend our sincere condolences to
22her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
23further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2presented to the family of Myra Rodgers as an expression of our
3deepest sympathy.