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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Jerald "Jerry" Dean Bort, who passed away
4on August 28, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jerry Bort was born to Fred and Edith (Kirkwood)
6Bort in Bunker Hill on November 30, 1940; he graduated from
7Decatur Barber College in 1958 and then graduated from East
8Alton-Wood River High School in 1959; he married Joyce Verlee
9Heuer on June 15, 1963, and she preceded him in death on April
1018, 2017, after 53 years of marriage; he served in the U.S.
11Army during the Vietnam Conflict from 1966 to 1968; he was part
12of the 1st Division and was present for the Tet Offensive in
131968; after his service, he attended St. Louis Community
14College in Forest Park and earned a degree in Fire Science in
151977; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Jerry Bort retired as a captain at the Clayton,
17Missouri Fire Department in 1994, after 26 years of service; he
18had been a volunteer firefighter for 40 years and retired as
19Fire Chief of the Rosewood Heights Fire Department; he started
20as a Bunker Hill Fire Department volunteer for 10 years; he
21also enjoyed a few years as a barber in Alton; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Jerry Bort was a member of St. Paul Lutheran

 

 

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1Church in Wood River where he served as an elder and usher; he
2was also a member of the Madison County Fireman's Association
3and a lifetime member of VFW Post 1308; he enjoyed time as
4Friend of the Fox Theater usher and was a tour guide for the
5Great River Museum at the Melvin Price Lock and Dam in his
6retirement; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Jerry Bort enjoyed traveling in the United States
8and abroad; he was a loving caregiver and handyman to his
9family, friends, and community; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Jerry Bort was preceded in death by his parents;
11his wife; his infant daughter, Teri Ann Bort; his twin brother,
12Bruce Bort; his sisters-in-law, Janelle Heuer, Irene Bort, and
13Corleen Heuer; and his brothers-in-law, Donald Heuer, Herbert
14Lesemann, and Reverend Walter DeMoss; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Jerry Bort is survived by his son, Chris Bort
16(Sabrina); his daughter, Cara Stearns (Kelly); his
17grandchildren, Sam, Spencer, and Simon Stearns, and Heather
18Brown; his brother, Fred (Sylvia) Bort; his sister, Helena
19DeMoss; and his sisters-in-law, JoAnn Lesemann and Janette
20Heuer; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
22ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of

 

 

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1Jerald "Jerry" Dean Bort and extend our sincere condolences to
2his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
3further
 
4    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
5presented to the family of Jerry Bort as an expression of our
6deepest sympathy.