093_HR0039
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1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives were saddened to learn of the death of Edward
4 R. Butkovich of Mount Pulaski on November 1, 2002; and
5 WHEREAS, Mr. Butkovich was born August 3, 1935 in Canton,
6 the only child of Edward C. and Wilma Hezlep Butkovich; he
7 attended St. Louis University and graduated from Western
8 Illinois University in 1958 with a degree in Physical
9 Education, Math, and Business; and
10 WHEREAS, He married Patricia A. Wise on June 21, 1958 at
11 St. Mary's Catholic Church in Canton; they moved to Bath
12 where he began his career as a teacher and coach at Balyki
13 High School; in 1964, they moved to where he accepted a
14 teaching and coaching position at Mount Pulaski High School;
15 and
16 WHEREAS, He was the head basketball coach at Mount
17 Pulaski for 32 years until his retirement in 1996; he made
18 the Mount Pulaski Hilltoppers the first household name in
19 Class A basketball; in 1976 his team won the State
20 Championship and his teams made three other Elite Eight
21 appearances; with a record of 628 wins and 400 losses, he was
22 one of Illinois' most successful high school basketball
23 coaches and he was among only 24 Illinois high school
24 basketball coaches with 600 or more victories; after his
25 retirement he served as a volunteer assistant coach for
26 Lincoln College; and
27 WHEREAS, He served on the IHSA board of directors for
28 basketball and the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association
29 board of directors; he was the IBCA Coach of the Year for
30 1976-1977 and he was a driving force and active member of the
31 IBCA Hall of Fame; he was well-known to basketball fans as
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1 the color commentator for Illinois High School Association
2 State tournament telecasts for nearly a decade; he was a
3 popular speaker at clinics and banquets throughout the State;
4 and
5 WHEREAS, He received innumerable awards and citations; he
6 was named Lincoln Courier Man of the Month; he received the
7 Lincoln Courier Achievement Award; he was named the Decatur
8 Herald and Review Coach of the Year in 1976 and 1984; he
9 received the Illinois Coaches Association Championship Award;
10 he was named the District Coach of the Year in 1974-1975,
11 1975-1976, 1979-1980, and 1983-1984; he received a very
12 valued award, the Distinguished Alumni Award, from his alma
13 mater, Western Illinois University; and
14 WHEREAS, A humble man, Coach Butkovich would give credit
15 to everyone but himself for the accomplishments of his teams;
16 he was a great teacher and a very kind and caring man; he was
17 a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend; he lived
18 for two things in life, his family first and foremost, and
19 his love for the game of basketball; and
20 WHEREAS, His passing will be deeply felt by all his
21 friends and family, especially his wife, Pat; his daughters,
22 Julie (Harvey) Horton and Cindy (Rick) Harris; and his
23 grandchildren, Ashley and Nicholas Horton and Molly Harris;
24 therefore, be it
25 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
26 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
27 we mourn, along with all those who knew him, the death of
28 Edward R. Butkovich and we extend our sincere condolences to
29 his family and friends; and be it further
30 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
31 presented to the family of Edward R. Butkovich as an
32 expression of our sympathy.