SJ0004 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0004 LRB103 24954 MST 51288 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General Assembly pays honor and respect to those truly great individuals who have served our State and, in doing so, have made the ultimate sacrifice; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Donald "Nick" Weist of the Knox County Sheriff's Office gave his life in the line of duty in pursuit of an armed subject on April 29, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Weist was born to Kevin Weist and Robin Monson in Platteville, Wisconsin on July 28, 1987; he earned his degree in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration from Western Illinois University in 2009; he married Jessica Weist on January 11, 2012, and they had two children; he was a resident of Viola; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Weist wanted to be a police officer from a young age; following an internship with the Rock Island Police Department, he worked as a security guard for Trinity Hospital in the Quad Cities; in 2012, he was hired by the Mercer County Sheriff's Department as a 911 dispatcher and then as a correctional officer; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Weist was sworn into the Aledo Police Department on June 26, 2015; after graduating from the Illinois Police Training Institute in September 2015, he began his career on the road; he began working as a deputy sheriff for the Knox County Sheriff's Office in 2018, where he served until his passing; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Weist served as union president, a taser instructor, and a leader in a number of different organizations within the Knox County Sheriff's Office; he organized the Explorer's Program for kids interested in law enforcement at Aledo High School, headed up college recruiting for the department, and raised funds and participated in Shop with a Cop throughout his career; he also served as a volunteer for the Viola Fire Department; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Weist loved anything outdoors; he especially enjoyed mountain biking and fishing with his kids; he also enjoyed deer hunting, cooking, and playing video games; he was passionate about everything he did; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Weist's first priority was his family; he was a devoted husband and father to Jessica and their children, Ava, age 12, and Emery, age 9; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Weist was preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Peggy Mueller, and his paternal grandmother, Mary Lou Weist; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Weist is survived by his wife; his children; his parents, Robin (Bill) Monson and Kevin Weist; his sister, Lindsay Weist; his paternal grandfather, Donald Weist, and maternal grandfathers, Donald Mueller and Jim (Carol) Nicholas Jr.; his step-siblings, Jason (Cathleen) Monson, Bill (Christina) Monson, Ryan (Annie) Monson, Renee (Cory) Funk, and Megan Monson; his parents-in-law, Cheryl and Lawrence Milder; his sisters-in-law, Kendra (Michael) Elledge and Jennifer (Joe) Kindon; and his brother-in-law, Benjy (Tiffany Bogardo) Milder; and

WHEREAS, Deputy Weist will be remembered for his unrelenting dedication, his kindness, and his selflessness in serving the people of Knox County and the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate U.S. Route 150 from Galesburg Main Street to the intersection of U.S. Route 150 and Illinois Route 17 in Alpha as the "Deputy Sheriff Nick Weist Memorial Highway"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs giving notice of the name of the "Deputy Sheriff Nick Weist Memorial Highway"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Deputy Weist and the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation.