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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the deaths of Joseph D. "Joe" and Donna K. Bates,
4who passed away on May 1, 2023; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Joe Bates was born in Princeton, Indiana on July
629, 1949; he graduated from Princeton High School in 1967; he
7served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War from
81969 to 1971, and he received the rank of corporal; after being
9discharged from the military, he pursued earning his
10bachelor's degree in accounting from Indiana University in
11Bloomington, Indiana; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Joe Bates worked for Bankers Life Casualty
13Insurance Company in Chicago; during his career in the
14insurance field, he held the positions of certified public
15accountant (CPA), controller, and vice president; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Donna Bates was born in Chicago on May 18, 1951;
17she graduated from Carl Schurz High School in 1969; she earned
18her associate's degree in applied science from Wilbur Wright
19College in 1971; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Donna Bates began her career with Bankers Life
21Casualty Insurance Company in Chicago; she served as a

 

 

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1teacher's assistant for North Elementary School in Crystal
2Lake for over 20 years; in 1969, she began her singing career
3with the Melodeers chorus of Sweet Adelines International, and
4the group won multiple international competitions; she joined
5the Melo-Edge quartet when it was formed in 1978, with the
6quartet becoming international champions in 1983 and her being
7named a Queen of Harmony; she performed with Melo-Edge on
8three international cruises, the Phil Donahue Show, and a Toni
9Tennille special; she was also a master director and an
10instructor for the Sweet Adeline International organization;
11and
 
12    WHEREAS, Joe and Donna Bates met while working at Bankers
13Life Casualty Insurance Company and married in Chicago on
14August 8, 1981; they had two daughters, Sarah and Abbie; they
15resided in both Chicago and Princeton, Indiana; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Joe and Donna Bates loved spending time with
17family and frequently traveled to visit family members across
18the Midwest; they took pride in each accomplishment and
19milestone that their daughters achieved; individually, he
20enjoyed working on projects in the garage, while she enjoyed
21tending to her garden; they both loved animals and enjoyed
22taking their dogs on nightly walks together; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Joe and Donna Bates were preceded in death by

 

 

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1Joe's parents, John and Wanda (Gordon) Bates; his sister,
2Bonnie (Jerry) Lance; his sister-in-law, Martha "Billie"
3Bates; his brother-in-law, Ron Caringer; Donna's parents,
4Theodore and Kathryn (Sprincz) Pladis; her aunts and uncles,
5Mae Sprincz, William Sprincz, Diane Sprincz, Steve Sprincz,
6Emma Sprincz, Julia Rediger, and Arthur Rediger; and her
7cousin, Janis Rumbley; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Joe and Donna Bates are survived by their
9daughters, Sarah M. (fiancé, Matthew Raines) Bates and Abbie
10K. (Morgan) Baer; Joe's sisters, Patricia (Tim) O'Rourke,
11Priscilla Caringer, Barbara (Dale) Krieg, Pamela Bates; his
12brothers, Robert "Bud" Bates, Jerry Bates, Jeff (Donna) Bates,
13Tim (Lana) Bates, Tom (Karen) Bates, Edward (Vikki) Bates;
14Donna's sister, Maureen Brzinski; and several nieces and
15nephews; therefore, be it
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
17ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
18Joseph D. "Joe" and Donna K. Bates and extend our sincere
19condolences to their family, friends, and all who knew and
20loved them; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
22presented to the family of Joe and Donna Bates as an expression
23of our deepest sympathy.