SR0386 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0386 LRB102 18930 LAW 27658 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Ronald Elmer "Ron" Schumacher, Elgin resident and a Dundee-area mainstay, who passed away on November 9, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Ron Schumacher was born in Elgin to Elmer Emil Schumacher and Clarice Mueller Schumacher on May 7, 1923; he grew up in a historic home on Second Street in West Dundee; he attended Immanuel Lutheran Church and School as a child; alongside his brother Bob, he was an accomplished marimba player; he graduated as salutatorian from Dundee Community High School in 1941, where he excelled in academics and baseball, and he played center in basketball under Coach Eugene deLacy, who led Dundee High School to its only Illinois State Basketball Championship in 1938; he served as a minesweeper and a chaplain in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was stationed in the Pacific theater; after the war ended in 1945, he returned to and graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, where he again excelled in academics and basketball and was the starting pitcher on the Wildcats baseball team; and

WHEREAS, Ron Schumacher first worked as a traveling salesman selling kitchen cabinets for the Howell Company; dissatisfied with the constant traveling, he soon started a career in the insurance business with a position at Bankers Life; he quickly moved to Northwestern Mutual Life (NML), where he enjoyed a successful and lucrative 50-year career; during his time at NML, he was a member of the company's million-dollar club for an incredible 34 years in a row; and

WHEREAS, Ron Schumacher was deeply committed to his faith and was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee for his entire life; he was a member of the Republican Party; he was always was deeply involved in the community, first in the Dundee-area while his children were growing up and then later in Elgin; he was a board member of several organizations, including the Elgin Chamber of Commerce, the Elgin Rotary Club, the Elgin Kiwanis Club, and the Elgin YMCA; he often volunteered to be a basketball coach and referee during the winter basketball season; and

WHEREAS, Ron Schumacher remained active during his entire adult life; he vacationed with his family in Minnesota and Wisconsin during the summers of the 1960s, and his family's favorite spot was the Shingwauk resort located near Little Pine Lake in Aitkin, Minnesota; he acquired property near Green Lake in the 1970s; he enjoyed playing tennis at the Elgin Country Club, and he played tennis until his mid-eighties when his doctor forced him to stop; and

WHEREAS, Ron Schumacher was known by many names to his grandchildren, including Grandpa, Grandpa Duck, Grandpa Ron, and Bompa; he will be remembered for his incredibly sharp mind, his dedication to giving his best, his competitive nature, and his quiet, dignified manner; and

WHEREAS, Ron Schumacher was preceded in death by his first wife, Ruth Glaser Schumacher; his second wife, Elizabeth "Betty" Bower Schumacher; his son, James Schumacher; his daughter, Jane Schumacher Hawkins; and his great-grandson, Luke Schumacher; and

WHEREAS, Ron Schumacher is survived by his brother, Robert Schumacher; his children, Susan Schumacher (formerly Koppen), Robert Schumacher (Jane), and William Schumacher (Karen); his grandchildren, Leslie Schumacher, Brett Koppen, Brian Koppen, Branden Koppen, Matthew Schumacher, Mark Schumacher, Jeremy Hawkins, Jennifer Hawkins, and Jaclyn (Hawkins) Slager; and his great-grandchildren, Blake Koppen, Jackson Schumacher, Audrey Schumacher, Robert Crum, J.J. Crum, and Keoni Hawkins; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Ronald Elmer "Ron" Schumacher and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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