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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Rita Florence Link Franke, who passed
4away on May 27, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Rita Franke was born in Springfield to Rose Marie
6Klopenburg and Frank Valentine Link on September 3, 1923; she
7attended St. Peter and Paul Grade School and Ursuline Academy;
8in her early years, she learned to tap dance and developed a
9lifelong love of dancing; when she was 14, her family moved to
10Lake Springfield, and she enjoyed fishing, swimming, and
11hosting her friends; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Rita Franke began working at the Office of Price
13Administration in Chicago; she married Allyn Franke at Blessed
14Sacrament Church in Springfield in 1945, and they lived in
15Chicago for a time before settling in Deerfield; and
 
16    WHEREAS, In Deerfield, Rita Franke's life initially
17revolved around taking care of her family, her husband Al and
18their five children, Terry, Barbara, Rich, Greg, and Alan; they
19attended Holy Cross Church, where Rita became active when the
20children attended the elementary school; in 1958, she and Al
21worked with other families to found Tennaqua, a family swim and
22tennis club; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Rita Franke was deeply committed to her community;
2she volunteered with numerous organizations and particularly
3enjoyed cutting men's hair at St. Anne's home; she had a love
4of plants and specialized in tending the topiaries for 20 years
5at Chicago Botanic Garden; she also volunteered at a soup
6kitchen in Waukegan well into her 80s; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Rita Franke enjoyed music, sewing, knitting,
8needlepoint, ceramics, decorating, painting, and bridge; in
91978, she co-founded The Potting Post, a unique store in
10Deerfield selling plants and antiques; she and Al bought a
11small house in Alejuela, Costa Rica, which they visited for 25
12years during Chicago's coldest winter months; she loved the
13sunshine, a cold cervesa at lunch, a siesta in the hammock, the
14warmth of the people, and the precious time with her cherished
15Al; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Rita Franke was affectionately called "Granri";
17she loved connecting with her 8 grandchildren and her 11
18great-grandchildren; she was a parishioner of Holy Cross Church
19for 70 years and was one of the first women to give holy
20communication there; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Rita Franke was preceded in death by her husband
22of 62 years, Allyn; her son, Richard; her daughter-in-law,

 

 

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1Paula; and her grandson, Eric; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
3ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
4Rita Florence Link Franke and extend our sincere condolences to
5her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
6further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the family of Rita Franke as an expression of our
9deepest sympathy.