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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Arthur L. Leenerman of Mahomet, who
4passed away on November 4, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Arthur Leenerman was born in Sibley to Alonzo
6Louis and Ida Brucker Leenerman on July 5, 1924; he married
7Ethel L. Bryant in Champaign on July 26, 1969; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Arthur Leenerman served in the U.S. Navy during
9World War II aboard the USS Indianapolis; he was a Radarman 3
10class; he survived the sinking of the USS Indianapolis after it
11was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the closing days of
12the war; he was one of only 317 sailors who survived the
13sinking and spent four and a half days adrift in the sea before
14being rescued; he was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds
15inflicted during the sinking and his ordeal in the sea; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Arthur Leenerman was a member of the USS
17Indianapolis Survivors Organization and attended numerous
18reunions since its inception in 1960; he has been honored in
19several of the books and documentaries about the sinking of the
20ship; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Arthur Leenerman was an avid outdoorsman and

 

 

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1enjoyed hunting and fishing; he also enjoyed gardening and grew
2trees from seedlings which he planted at Mount Hope Cemetery in
3Sibley; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Arthur Leenerman was preceded in death by his wife
5of 47 years, Ethel, and his stepdaughter, Cynthia Cooper; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Arthur Leenerman is survived by his son, Gregory
7(Susan) Leenerman; his sister, Marilyn Gudenrath; his
8granddaughters, Emma and Kristen Leenerman; his grandsons,
9Jason Eaton and Ryan Cooper; three great-grandchildren; and
10many cherished nieces, nephews, and friends; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
13Arthur L. Leenerman and extend our sincere condolences to his
14family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
15further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to the family of Arthur Leenerman as an expression of
18our deepest sympathy.