HR0633 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0633 LRB093 14417 HSS 46013 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois learned with deep regret of the death of their colleague, State Representative David Wirsing of Sycamore, on Sunday, November 16, 2003; and

WHEREAS, David Arnold Wirsing was born on August 5, 1937 to Wayne and Gladys (Hegberg) Wirsing; he was raised on the family farm near Sycamore and graduated from Sycamore High School; and

WHEREAS, Representative Wirsing served in the U.S. Army both on active duty and in the reserves, from 1957 to 1964; he married Nancy Hardesty on March 5, 1960; in 1963, he took over ownership and operation of the Wirsing Pork Finishing Farm; and

WHEREAS, Representative Wirsing was very active in promoting pork production and served as Vice-President of the Illinois Pork Producers Association in 1982 and President in 1984; in 1988, he became Chairman of the Illinois Pork PAC, a post he held until 1992; he was elected to the Sycamore School Board in 1986; and

WHEREAS, Representative Wirsing was in his sixth term representing the 70th Legislative District; he was active in working on behalf of Northern Illinois University and the people of DeKalb and Sycamore; he was the minority spokesman for the Higher Education Committee and a member of the House Elementary and Secondary Appropriations Committee; he also served on the House Executive and Labor Committees; and

WHEREAS, When entering the House Floor from the Republican side, Representative Wirsing was the first face in view, and he always had a smile; staff and other members frequently stopped by his desk on the Floor to visit and partake of his ever-present basket of orange slices; he was known as everybody's "grandpa", yet he had a youthful exuberance and a wry sense of humor; he distinguished himself as a fair-minded, effective, and respected legislator; and

WHEREAS, Representative Wirsing was a member of Congressman Dennis Hastert's Agricultural Advisory Committee, the organizer and Chairman of the Sycamore Youth Council on Street Gang Issues, a member of the Northern FS Board of Directors, a past 4-H leader, a member of the DeKalb County Farm Bureau, a member of the University of Illinois China Hog Research Committee, a member of the Western Illinois University Swine Research Committee, a member of the Legislative Information Advisory Committee for the Illinois Association of School Boards, the Secretary of the Coon Creek Drainage District Board, and the past President of the DeKalb Toastmasters Club; he was a member of Sycamore United Methodist Church, a founding member of the Sycamore Education Foundation, a member of Charter Grove Grange, and a former board member of the Kane County Farm Bureau; and

WHEREAS, Representative Wirsing was the recipient of the Friend of Agriculture award given by the Illinois Agriculture Association and the Guardian of Small Business award given by the Illinois Federation of Independent Businessmen; he received recognition from the Illinois Bankers Association in 2002, and was given the Friend of the Child award from the Children's Learning Center in DeKalb in 2000 and 2001; he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Northern Illinois University Alumni Association in 2001, and in 2000, he was the recipient of the Dedicated Service Award from Safe Passage, a domestic violence shelter for women and children; and

WHEREAS, Representative Wirsing was honored by the City of Sycamore in appreciation of his continuing generous support in 2001, by 4-H for his support of the 4-H Blue Ribbon Sale, and in 2003 by Waubonsee Community College as a distinguished contributor; he received the Day Care Action Council of Illinois' Action for Illinois Children award in 2001; he was recognized by the Ogle County Senior Services, Inc. in June of 1999 for his outstanding service and dedication to older Americans and was given a Main Street DeKalb Certificate of Appreciation in 2003; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Representative Wirsing has been most deeply felt by those who supported him throughout both his public and private career, especially his wife, Nancy; his sons, Mark (wife Elizabeth) and Steven; his daughters, Angela Mecklenburg (husband Tom) and Susan Rankin (husband Scot); his grandchildren, Clint, Jasmine, Karly, and Melina Mecklenburg, Emma and Andrew Rankin, Scott, Jeff, and Rachel Wirsing, and Wesley and Justin Parker; his mother, Gladys Wirsing; his brother Ron (wife Marcia); his sisters, Carol Larson (husband Ray) and Kay Schrader (husband Barry); his sister-in-law, Lucille Wirsing; and his several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of State Representative David Wirsing, a progressive farm leader who served the citizens of the 70th Legislative District with honor and distinction; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Representative David Wirsing as an expression of our deepest condolences during their time of bereavement.