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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Jeffrey
4George Spear of Quincy, who passed away on December 8, 2023;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, Jeffrey Spear was born to George Harry and
7Charlotte Hansen Spear in Quincy on December 16, 1955; he
8graduated as valedictorian from Quincy High School in 1974,
9where he was on the basketball team and was a co-founder of the
10athletic supporters pep group; he received his bachelor's
11degree in biology and graduated magna cum laude from Kenyon
12College in 1978, where he was a member of the Delta Kappa
13Epsilon fraternity; he married Theresa Lynn (Powers) Spear in
14Quincy on June 9, 1978, and he was valedictorian of his
15graduating class at the Worsham College of Mortuary Science in
161979; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Jeffrey Spear, along with his wife, owned and
18operated Hansen-Spear Funeral Home; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Jeffrey Spear was active in a number of community
20organizations, where many of his endeavors revolved around
21raising money for youth-based organizations; since 1987, he
22provided children's sermons at Luther Memorial and Hope

 

 

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1Lutheran Churches; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Jeffrey Spear was elected to the Quincy High
3School Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Illinois Basketball
4Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2000; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jeffrey Spear's interests evolved as he grew
6older; post college, he ran three Chicago Marathons in under
7three and a half hours; always an avid Chicago Cubs fan who
8loved discussing baseball strategy and statistics with other
9fans, he later began supporting the Bears, the Bulls, and the
10Blackhawks; most recently, he enjoyed reading, cutting down
11trees and splitting firewood, working in the yard, going to
12rock and roll concerts, and sipping some fine California
13Chardonnay; he was an extreme recycler and had a deep love of
14nature; he cherished time spent with his family and was
15especially proud of their individual accomplishments; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Jeffrey Spear was preceded in death by his
17parents and his pets and grandpets, Gussie, Cassie, Sonoma
18Red, Aspen, Artemis, and a host of cats; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Jeffrey Spear is survived by his wife of 45
20years, Theresa; his sons, William (Dr. Kristin) Spear,
21Nicholas (Sarah) Spear, and Kristjan (Lilian) Makke; his
22grandsons, Zeus Spear, Theo Spear, Erik Makke, Sebastian

 

 

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1Makke, and Oskar Makke; his brothers, John (Lisa) Spear and
2Dr. Robert (Jan) Spear; his father-in-law and mother-in-law,
3Dr. Francis and Jean Powers; his brothers-in-law, Tom (Tina)
4Powers and Tim (Laura) Powers; his sisters-in-laws, Peggy
5Phillips, Faye (Mike) Ericson, and Joanne (Jeff) Bergman; his
6numerous nieces and nephews; and his Irish Setter, Cutrer;
7therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
9HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10we mourn the passing of Jeffrey George Spear and extend our
11sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew
12and loved him; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14presented to the family of Jeffrey Spear as an expression of
15our deepest sympathy.