SR0629 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0629 LRB102 21487 MST 30604 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of William F. "Bill" Meier of Jacksonville, who passed away on November 9, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Bill Meier was born to Francis "Frankie" and Emaline Collins Meier on September 2, 1949; he grew up in Bethel; after his mother passed when he was a young boy, he and his father continued to live above the small general store in Bethel, and he spent most of his time helping his dad operate the store when he was not playing a multitude of sports; he was a star athlete at Concord Triopia High School, where he broke several records; he played football briefly at Culver-Stockton College before joining the U.S. Air Force in 1968; and

WHEREAS, Bill Meier returned from service and worked at the FS plant in Bluffs; he then worked as a salesman and eventually as sales manager at Ray Green Chevrolet for many years; he won several sales awards before he and two partners opened their own car business, Prairieland Motors; he was elected as a Morgan County Commissioner in 2004 and was serving his third term at the time of his death; and

WHEREAS, Bill Meier was active in community service; he was a member of the Elks Club and a past member of the Moose, where he served as state organist for several years; he belonged to the Jacksonville Country Club and the Franklin Outing Club, where he served on the board for many years; he helped develop the West Morgan County Water Corporation; he was a member of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, the Jacksonville Kiwanis, and Franklin American Legion Post #308; and

WHEREAS, Bill Meier was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith; he transferred to Durbin Methodist Church when he married Joena; he was an active member and served in many ways, including enthusiastically playing the organ for the congregation at Durbin over the past 40 years; he loved music, particularly Southern Gospel and pop classics; he began playing in church as a young boy and never turned down a request to play the piano at celebrations or social events over the years; he also enjoyed using his boundless personality on the stage, performing in the Passavant Follies and Jacksonville Theater Guild productions and in countless other venues in the area; he loved his family, traveling, and entertaining and rarely failed to bring a smile to the faces of those around him; and

WHEREAS, Bill Meier was preceded in death by his parents; and

WHEREAS, Bill Meier is survived by his wife of 42 years, Joena (Smith); his children, Liza Meier (Dimitri Rologis), William "Billy" (Jurga) Meier Jr., JB (Anne) Meier, and Alex (Chloe) Meier; and his grandchildren, Kenna Meier, Jace Meier, Phillip Rologis, and Aris Rologis; 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 William F. "Bill" Meier 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 Bill Meier as an expression of our deepest sympathy.