093_HR0566
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1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives are
3 pleased to recognize Dr. Roman P. Smyk of Coal City on the
4 occasion of his retirement after 50 years of service to the
5 community; and
6 WHEREAS, Dr. Smyk was born in the Ukraine and was
7 educated there through high school; he studied medicine in
8 Poland and Germany and he graduated from the Berlin
9 University School of Medicine; and
10 WHEREAS, To avoid the brutal Soviet regime, Dr. Smyk came
11 to the United States in 1950; he worked in Syracuse, New York
12 before going on to Chicago's postgraduate medical schools in
13 1953 and passing his medical boards; and
14 WHEREAS, The Coal City Development Club was very
15 impressed by Dr. Smyk and asked him to set up a practice in
16 Coal City; Dr. Smyk met and married his wife Lidia in Coal
17 City; they were married 42 years before her untimely death;
18 they had three sons, Eugene, Mark, and Roman, who is taking
19 over his practice; and
20 WHEREAS, During his many years of practicing medicine,
21 Dr. Smyk has received many honors; in 1993, he was granted a
22 private audience with Pope John Paul II, and he received a
23 note of thanks from the Pope after Dr. Smyk sent the Pontiff
24 a copy of one of the several books he has authored; he was
25 the recipient of the Coal City Community Service Award and
26 has been a member of various medical associations, including
27 being a charter member of the American Academy of Family
28 Practice; he is an active member of Rotary Clubs and served
29 for several years as the medical vice chairman of the
30 American Cancer Society in Grundy County; and
31 WHEREAS, Dr. Smyk has always been a tireless worker; his
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1 medical office was always open for emergencies and his home
2 office was also open for emergencies at any hour of the day
3 or night; he never turned away a patient for lack of ability
4 to pay; the Coal City Village Board has set aside Saturday,
5 November 22, 2003 as "Dr. Smyk Day" in appreciation of his
6 service to the community; therefore, be it
7 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
8 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
9 we congratulate Dr. Roman P. Smyk on the occasion of his
10 retirement after 50 years of family practice in Coal City,
11 and we thank him for his dedication to the community; and be
12 it further
13 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14 presented to Dr. Roman P. Smyk as an expression of our
15 respect and esteem.