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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of William F. "Bill" Merna of Canton, who
4passed away on March 16, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Bill Merna was born in Bloomington to William R.
6and Lida M. (Whittington) Merna; he graduated from the Spalding
7Institute in Peoria and married Della Lou DeWitt in Peoria on
8September 3, 1949; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Bill Merna retired from Nabisco in 1988 after a
1043-year career; he was a popular salesperson, affectionately
11known as the "Cookie Man"; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Bill Merna was a 60-year member of the Knights of
13Columbus; he was a past Grand Knight of the St. George Council
143934 in Canton; he was a 3rd and 4th Degree Knight, working
15both the Tootsie Roll Drive and the weekly Bingo game; he
16enjoyed camping and attending the Knights of Columbus
17International Camporee, which he and his wife even hosted once;
18they also enjoyed camping at the Illinois State Fair; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Bill Merna liked to walk in the woods, searching
20for mushrooms; he also liked deer and squirrel hunting trips;
21and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Bill Merna was a member of St. Mary's Catholic
2Church in Canton; he volunteered for funeral dinners and the
3food pantry; he spent many hours helping as a committee member
4and leader of the St. Joseph's Cemetery Committee; he also
5cheerfully delivered Meals on Wheels; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Bill Merna was known as "Uncle Bill" to countless
7nieces, nephews, and cousins, some of whom were two and three
8times removed; he was a mentor, role model, and dear friend to
9so many more; he was devoted to his family and attended all the
10events he could; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Bill Merna was preceded in death by his parents;
12his wife of nearly 60 years, Della; his grandson, Adam Hindle;
13and his sisters, Mary (Dick) Koehne and Eleanor (Jerry) Menke;
14and
 
15    WHEREAS, Bill Merna is survived by his children, William M.
16Merna, Nancy (Larry) Hindle, Phyllis (Lynn) Jarvis, Timothy A.
17(Carol) Merna, and Thomas E. (Alisa) Merna; 13 grandchildren;
1821 great-grandchildren; his sister-in-law, Eva Gilchrist; his
19brother-in-law, Frank (Joyce) DeWitt; and his sister-in-law,
20Marian DeWitt; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL

 

 

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1ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
2William F. "Bill" Merna and extend our sincere condolences to
3his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
4further
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6presented to the family of Bill Merna as an expression of our
7deepest sympathy.