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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
 
                            -2-      LRB093 06361 KEF 06480 r
 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.