HR0281 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0281 LRB103 31335 ECR 58766 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Henry W. "Hank" Flora of Aurora, who passed away on February 26, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Henry Flora was born to William and Jennie Flora in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on February 16, 1918; he graduated from Carlisle High School, where he was a star football player; he earned his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) in 1941, where he participated in the ROTC program; he married Lois Squires in Missouri on October 23, 1943; later in life, he earned his master's degree in Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York; and

WHEREAS, Henry Flora worked as a relay engineer at West Penn Power Company for a year before enlisting in the U.S. Army due to the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941; on Pearl Harbor Day two years later, he sailed to the South Pacific, where he served under General Douglas MacArthur and played a critical role in communications, helping to establish the radio communications network that sent information back to the United States from wherever Gen. MacArthur was establishing headquarters during the conflict to regain control of the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, Henry Flora became a commanding officer of the U.S. Army Signal Corps Transmitting Station at the Hemmant military camp in Brisbane, Australia, where he operated a powerful twin channel transmitter; as commanding officer, he was in charge of the system that transmitted the majority of communications in the South Pacific; he was transferred to Seabourn Communications in September 1944, where he was in charge of two specially-outfitted transmitting ships; and

WHEREAS, After arriving home from the Pacific, Henry Flora used his technical expertise to work at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. during the Korean War; he then pursued a successful career in technology, first working at AT&T and then IBM; and

WHEREAS, Henry Flora was a proud member of The Gideons International and the American Heart Association, and he was a past president of the Ostomy Association; he was instrumental in the building of Faith Assembly of God in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he was a valued member and served on the board; and

WHEREAS, Henry Flora remained tech-savvy, never missed a Penn State game, and was a gardening, bird, and weather aficionado; and

WHEREAS, Henry Flora was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; and his granddaughter, Hadessa "Hadi" Flor; and

WHEREAS, Henry Flora is survived by his children, Bob (Marilyne) Flora, Heather (Stanley) Birnbaum, Steve (Sharon Presti) Flora, and Hollie (Alan) Flora-Holmquist; his grandchildren, Linnann (Pascal) Muhlemann, Lisa Flora, Rachel (Nathaniel) Wiseman, Wendy Birnbaum, Eli Stephen (Shoshana) Birnbaum, Ariel Andrew (Gal) Birnbaum, Chaim (Vered) Birnbaum, Lucas Flora, Amber (Kevin) Lawless, Jade (Sikander) Flora-Holmquist, and Garnet (Will Dowling) Flora-Holmquist; his great-grandchildren, Sedona, Zack, Shalev, Tzuk, Carmel, Lavie, Leilah, Alastor, and Murphy; his nieces and nephews; his countless cousins; and his family of friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Henry W. "Hank" Flora 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 Henry Flora as an expression of our deepest sympathy.