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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Louis "Lou" Ray Henson, who passed away
4on July 25, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Lou Henson was born to Joe Henson and Lora Faye
6Falconer Henson near Okay, Oklahoma on January 10, 1932; he
7played basketball at Okay High School, Connors State College,
8and New Mexico A&M; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Inspired by his coaches, Lou Henson pursued a
10career in coaching; after college, he served as graduate
11assistant to his mentor, Connors State College Basketball Coach
12Presley Askew, and was offered the "B" team coaching job and a
13mathematics teaching position at Las Cruces High after earning
14his master's degree; after two years, he became the head coach
15while still teaching multiple math classes; his LCHS teams won
16three consecutive New Mexico State High School Championships
17and a fourth year saw them in the quarterfinals; and
 
18    WHEREAS, In 1962, Hardin Simmons University (Division I at
19that time) in Abilene, Texas offered Lou Henson the head coach
20position; before accepting, he met with the school's board and
21explained that he would not accept the job until the school was
22integrated; the board met overnight and agreed to integrate,

 

 

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1launching his college coaching career at age 30; achieving
2integration at Hardin Simons University was one of the proudest
3moments of his career; and
 
4    WHEREAS, After coaching and serving as athletic director at
5Hardin Simmons University for a few years, Lou Henson was
6offered the head coaching position at his alma mater, New
7Mexico State University; in their very first season, the Aggies
8drew national attention by twice defeating the defending NCAA
9champions, Texas Western (UTEP), as well as the third-ranked
10New Mexico Lobos; within two years, he assumed the role of
11athletic director in addition to the head basketball job; he
12managed both jobs while playing a key role in the construction
13of the Pan American Center, a 13,000-seat multipurpose arena;
14in 1970, he led the Aggies to the Final Four, finishing third
15after being defeated by defending champions UCLA; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Lou Henson began coaching at the University of
17Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1975; he retired from the
18University of Illinois in 1996 as the school's most successful
19coach with 423 victories in 21 seasons; his vision to rebuild
20the Illinois program was made possible through the hard work
21and dedication of his assistant coaches, Dick Nagy, Jimmy
22Collins, and Mark Coomes; returning the Illinois basketball
23program to prominence culminated with the 1989 Final Four
24Flyin' Illini; many believe that this team would have won the

 

 

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1national title had it not been for player injuries during the
2tournament; the Flyin' Illini were considered one of the most
3entertaining teams in collegiate basketball history and
4captured the hearts of Illini Nation and basketball fans
5everywhere; and
 
6    WHEREAS, In the fall of 1997, Lou Henson once again assumed
7leadership of the New Mexico State University basketball
8program; at his request, New Mexico State paid him only one
9dollar per month to coach the Aggies; he coached at NMSU for
10the next six years, after initially securing his wife Mary's
11approval to coach for "only six months"; and
 
12    WHEREAS, In 2003, Lou Henson was diagnosed with stage four
13cancer; aggressive treatment was started, and although his
14cancer was in remission, one year later he contracted viral
15encephalitis; he was determined to return to the court, even if
16he had to coach from his wheelchair; the day before he was
17scheduled to take the court again, he was hospitalized with
18pneumonia, which ultimately ended his coaching career; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Lou Henson kept physically active by swimming,
20lifting weights, and walking; he enjoyed playing bridge, both
21at home and at the local bridge center, gin, and checkers; as
22his health declined, he remained a fierce competitor; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Lou Henson was preceded in death by his parents;
2his son, Louis Ray Henson Jr.; and his siblings, Alma, Bill,
3Jimmy Joe, J.D., and Donald; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Lou Henson is survived by his wife, Mary Catherine
5Brantner Henson; his three daughters, Lori Jo Henson, Lisa Rose
6(John) Rutter, and Leigh Anne (Coit) Edison; his siblings, Rose
7and Kenneth; his 12 grandchildren; his seven
8great-grandchildren; and his numerous nieces and nephews;
9therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12Louis "Lou" Ray Henson and extend our sincere condolences to
13his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
14further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of Lou Henson as an expression of our
17deepest sympathy.