HR0422 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0422 LRB103 34529 MST 64363 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened by the loss of former Illinois State Representative Donald Larry Wennlund, who passed way on May 15, 2022 at the age of 80; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund was born in DeKalb on October 31, 1941; he was a native of Illinois; he liked to be called by his middle name, Larry; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund's father, Donald Wennlund, and his family moved to New Lenox; the Will County community was on the verge of what would be a period of explosive growth as part of greater Chicago; seeing these changes, and working with his friends in the New Lenox Lions Club, the senior Wennlund developed a patriotism-themed system of New Lenox public signage and Fourth of July celebration; this system, starting on July 4, 1970, helped make New Lenox the "Home of Proud Americans"; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund was inspired by the Wennlund family and its example; pursuing schooling and higher education, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Illinois in 1964; after working as a teacher, he attended law school at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, earning his Juris Doctor in 1968; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund then passed the bar exam and was licensed to practice law in Illinois; he chose his hometown of New Lenox as a base for his practice and served Will County for more than half a century; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund, as a professional with teaching experience, was chosen by his neighbors to serve as a member of the board of New Lenox School District #122 and became president of the school board; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund was chosen by Republican leaders to fill a vacancy in the Illinois House of Representatives; when an Illinois congressional seat became open in mid-1986, the longtime Illinois House member from the 84th Representative District, Republican Jack Davis, moved to the U.S. House of Representatives; Davis had won his March 1986 re-election primary, and this move created an Illinois House vacancy that, under law, was filled by Republican leaders within the district; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund was chosen by the voters of the 84th Representative District by a margin of more than 1,100 votes to serve his first full term in the Illinois House on November 4, 1986; he served five terms from the 85th through 89th General Assemblies; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund became a committee spokesperson in his second term as a state representative, chosen to lead the Republicans in the House Committee on Aeronautics in 1989-90; he became the Republican spokesperson on the House Judiciary - Civil Law Committee in his third term; he also served as House Republican assistant floor leader; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund became an Illinois House Assistant Minority Leader in his fourth term and was part of the Illinois House Republican leadership team; when the Republicans won a House majority in the 89th General Assembly for the year 1995 and 1996, he became the Illinois House Assistant Majority Leader; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund put his family and his home community of New Lenox first throughout his career; he chose not to seek re-election to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1996; and

WHEREAS, Rep. Wennlund, as a local leader and proud citizen of New Lenox, returned to his hometown and continued to practice law; and

WHEREAS, At the time of his passing, Rep. Wennlund was survived by his wife of 58 years, Shirley Ann Major Wennlund; his four children, Jayna DeAngelis, Cass Wennlund, Dr. Joelle Wennlund, and Kara Singer; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; therefore be it; 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 loss and observe the life of former Illinois State Representative Donald Larry Wennlund, a dedicated lawyer and a local leader in every sense of the word; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rep. Wennlund's son, Cass Wennlund of New Lenox, on behalf of the entire Wennlund family.