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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | ||||||
| 3 | learn of the death of Merton D. Messmore of Rock Island, who | ||||||
| 4 | passed away on July 31, 2019; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Merton Messmore was born in Geneseo to Ella and | ||||||
| 6 | Dr. Harry L. Messmore Sr. on July 29, 1926; he attended high | ||||||
| 7 | school in Altona and graduated in 1944; he immediately enlisted | ||||||
| 8 | in the United States Navy, where he served as a radioman on LST | ||||||
| 9 | 672 in the Pacific Theatre during World War II; he was | ||||||
| 10 | discharged in 1946; he married Mary Ruth Speer in 1950; he | ||||||
| 11 | graduated from Monmouth College in 1951; and
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| 12 | WHEREAS, Merton Messmore began his career as a high school | ||||||
| 13 | teacher and coach in Farmington; he continued his career at | ||||||
| 14 | ROWVA High School in Oneida; in 1964, he changed careers and | ||||||
| 15 | worked as an insurance agent for Northwestern Mutual Life | ||||||
| 16 | Insurance Company; in 1968, he accepted a position at Auburn | ||||||
| 17 | High School and returned to his love of coaching and teaching; | ||||||
| 18 | he later earned his master's degree from Sangamon State | ||||||
| 19 | University; he was then appointed principal at Auburn High | ||||||
| 20 | School, from which he retired in 1988; and
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| 21 | WHEREAS, Upon retirement, Merton Messmore and his wife | ||||||
| 22 | moved to Altona, Rock Island, and then Destin, Florida, where | ||||||
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| 1 | they lived for nine years; they then returned to the Quad | ||||||
| 2 | Cities; he was an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and | ||||||
| 3 | University of Illinois athletics; he enjoyed fishing, reading, | ||||||
| 4 | particularly history, and, most of all, spending time with | ||||||
| 5 | family and friends; and
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| 6 | WHEREAS, Merton Messmore was preceded in death by his wife, | ||||||
| 7 | Mary Ruth; his mother; his father; his stepmother; his infant | ||||||
| 8 | son, Mick; four brothers; three sisters; three step-siblings; a | ||||||
| 9 | great-granddaughter; and a great-grandson; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, Merton Messmore is survived by his children, | ||||||
| 11 | Stanlee (Char) Messmore, Jack (Marsha) Messmore, Joel (Diane), | ||||||
| 12 | Messmore, Lisa (Dan) Wood, and Alyson Messmore; 16 | ||||||
| 13 | grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, | ||||||
| 14 | nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; therefore, be it
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| 15 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | ||||||
| 16 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
| 17 | Merton D. Messmore and extend our sincere condolences to his | ||||||
| 18 | family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | ||||||
| 19 | further
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| 20 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 21 | presented to the family of Merton Messmore as an expression of | ||||||
| 22 | our deepest sympathy.
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