SR1012 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1012 LRB101 20651 MST 70307 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Barbara J. "Barb" Baker of Jacksonville, who passed away on February 7, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Barb Baker was born in Jacksonville to Harold and Catherine Vieira DeFrates on July 28, 1947; she graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1965 and attended Lincoln Land Community College and Heartland Business College; she married Paul C. Baker in Jacksonville on February 15, 1975; and

WHEREAS, Barb Baker was the Deputy City Clerk for the City of Jacksonville from 1974 to 1988; in 1988, she was elected Morgan County Circuit Clerk and served until 2002; following that, she served as the office manager for U.S. Representatives Ray LaHood, Aaron Schock, and Darin LaHood; and

WHEREAS, Barb Baker was a past-president of the Sunrise Rotary Club, where she received the Paul Harris Fellowship Award; she was past-president of the Pilot Club, the Morgan County Republican Women's Club, the Illinois Association of Court Clerks, and Play for All Incorporated (Godfrey Park); she served as treasurer for the City of Jacksonville Park System Board; she was a board member of the Passavant Memorial Area Hospital and a lifetime board member of the Salvation Army; she also served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman and an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention; and

WHEREAS, Barb Baker grew up as a member of Northminster Presbyterian Church; most recently, she was a member of First Baptist Church; she enjoyed serving others and spending time with her grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Barb Baker was preceded in death by her father, Harold DeFrates; and

WHEREAS, Barb Baker is survived by her husband, Paul; her sons, David (Stacee) and Brad (Jody) Racey; her grandchildren, Lauren, Jack, Claire, Sarah, Nichola, and Anthony; her stepchildren, Sherri (Brian) Farley and Paul Derrick (Schelli) Baker; three step-grandchildren; her mother, Catherine Vieira DeFrates; her brother, Darrell (Jan) DeFrates; and many nieces and nephews, including Don (Leslie) DeFrates; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Barbara J. "Barb" Baker and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Barb Baker as an expression of our deepest sympathy.