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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Robert William "Bob" Haisman of Oak
4Park, who passed away on September 2, 2023 at the age of 77;
5and
 
6    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman was born in Chicago on October 7,
71945; he grew up in Berwyn, and his childhood was filled with
8playing outside and spending time with friends; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman spent the Saturdays of his childhood
10working with his father, Louis, who was a strong union
11activist and worked for the Sunbeam Corporation; at an early
12age, he also began accompanying his mother, Mildred, on
13political errands, which ranged from raising awareness of
14Democratic candidates to ringing doorbells to ask for support;
15and
 
16    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman loved learning; when he was in fifth
17grade, a teacher called his parents and encouraged them to
18send him to college, so they made it their mission to do so;
19and
 
20    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman attended Morton West High School and
21graduated in 1963 at the age of 17; his summer job that year

 

 

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1was working in the American Federation of Labor and Congress
2of Industrial Organizations' Chicago headquarters, where he
3saw a flier for a bus to attend the March on Washington for
4Jobs and Freedom; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman took the 19-hour bus ride to
6Washington, D.C., his first visit to the nation's capital, and
7heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech
8in-person, an experience that moved him profoundly and spoke
9to his core belief that all men are created equal; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman attended Morton Junior College for
11two years; he then enrolled at Illinois State University; in
121968, he graduated with both a bachelor's degree and a
13master's degree; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman was hired shortly after his
15graduation to teach history at Hinsdale South High School,
16making many lifelong friends with fellow teachers and
17cultivating positive relationships with his students who
18affectionately nicknamed him "Hais"; and
 
19    WHEREAS, When he began working, Bob Haisman immediately
20joined the Hinsdale High School Teachers' Association,
21starting his lifelong commitment to fighting for the rights of
22students and teachers; during his over 30-year career at

 

 

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1Hinsdale, he helped organize events to raise money for student
2activities and became a leader in every fight for better
3working conditions and wages for school staff; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman took a six-year leave from teaching
5to serve two terms as president of the Illinois Education
6Association; he worked tirelessly with Executive Director Clay
7Marquardt to create a positive framework for serving districts
8across the State; during this time, he lobbied then-State
9Senator Barack Obama, urging him to support various bills that
10aimed to improve education quality in Illinois; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman loved working with students, and
12teaching showcased his heart and soul; his sense of humor,
13work ethic, and treatment of his students as young adults, not
14children, guaranteed that he was a hit; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman continued working hard later in life,
16focusing on a number of issues, including social justice,
17poverty, hunger, gun violence, and more; his allegiance to
18liberal activism and causes was demonstrated in his work as a
19precinct captain for State Senator Phil Rock and his work with
20State Senator Don Harmon and the Democratic Party of Oak Park,
21where he inspired and encouraged many and served as the
22longtime leader of the Farmer's Market crew; he had an
23extensive history of volunteering for former President Barack

 

 

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1Obama, helping with his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign, his 2008
2presidential campaign, and his 2012 re-election campaign; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman and his wife, Janet, loved sharing
4holiday and travel experiences with their nieces and nephews,
5which included an overland trip from Germany to Russia, a
6safari experience in Tanzania, and a visit to Australia; for
7their 40th wedding anniversary, celebrated in July of 2023, he
8and Janet took an Ohio River cruise; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman greeted life with gusto and never
10stopped his pursuit of knowledge; as a champion for the rights
11and responsibilities of students and teachers, a good
12listener, and a loyal friend, he will be missed in
13unforeseeable ways; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman was preceded in death by his parents;
15his brother, Wayne; his brother-in-law, David; his
16sister-in-law, Grace; and many friends; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Bob Haisman is survived by his wife; his nephews
18and their families, Dale (DeDe, Chris, and Caitlin) and Brett
19(Tammie, Shannon, and Sam); his former sisters-in-law, Diane
20and Margie; his brother-in-law, Jack Knowles and his children
21and their families, Jacqui (Trish), Ben (Elizabeth and
22Maisie), and Rachel (Ashley, Kenzie, and Claire); and his

 

 

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1brother-in-law David's children, Juliet (Sage, Lindsey, and
2Autumn) and Adam (Alma, Camila, and Victoria); therefore, be
3it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
5ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
6Robert William "Bob" Haisman and extend our sincere
7condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
8him; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to the family of Bob Haisman as an expression of our
11deepest sympathy.