HR1166 LRB093 23201 KEF 53174 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House were saddened to
3 learn of the death of Ralph H. Sprehe of Centralia on August 5,
4 2004; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Ralph H. Sprehe was born on June 25, 1914 in
6 Hoffman to Ben and Flora (Doel) Sprehe; he married Bernice
7 Mueller on May 17, 1941; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Mr. Sprehe was a resident of Hoffman and Centralia
9 and a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Centralia; he
10 graduated from Centralia Township High School in 1931; he
11 founded Sprehe Truck Service in 1931 in Hoffman; he founded
12 Centralia Cartage Co. in 1940, which grew to serve Southern
13 Illinois, St. Louis, Evansville, and Chicago and merged with
14 Associated Truck Lines in 1978; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Mr. Sprehe was chairman of the board of Old
16 National Bank from 1985 to 1995, and also served on the board
17 of directors of the First National Bank and Centralia Savings
18 and Loan; he was a charter member of the Central Industrial
19 Commission; he served as a member of the St. Mary's Hospital
20 Lay Advisory Board, Centralia Chamber of Commerce, Kaskaskia
21 College Foundation, and Centralia Rotary Church; he was a
22 chairman of Centralia United Fund Drive; he also served for
23 several years in many capacities in statewide and national
24 truck transportation organizations, most notably as president
25 of the Illinois Trucking Association; and
 
26     WHEREAS, Mr. Sprehe received the Jaycees Outstanding
27 Service Award in 1973, the Centralia Chamber of Commerce
28 Industrial Appreciation Award in 1978, the American Truck
29 Historical Society Founder Award in 1980, the Centralia Chamber
30 of Commerce Award in 1987, the Madonna Club Humanitarian Award
31 in 1991, and the Kaskaskia College Foundation Entrepreneur of

 

 

HR1166 - 2 - LRB093 23201 KEF 53174 r

1 the Year Award in 2002; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Mr. Sprehe was a major contributor to many
3 charitable causes in the Centralia area; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The passing of Ralph H. Sprehe will be deeply felt
5 by many, especially his son and daughter-in-law, Bill and
6 Jeanne Ann Sprehe; his daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Tom
7 Ballagh; his two sisters, Dorothy Sprehe and Anita Lenzini; his
8 four grandchildren, Molly Harlan, Chelsey Sprehe, Jill
9 Turnage, and Michael Ballagh; and his great-grandchild, Brooks
10 Harlan; and
 
11     WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents;
12 two brothers, Howard Sprehe and Forrest Sprehe; one sister,
13 Alice Westerbeck; two brothers-in-law, Harvey Westerbeck and
14 Arnold Lenzini; and one sister-in-law, June Sprehe; therefore,
15 be it
 
16     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
17 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
18 mourn the death of Ralph H. Sprehe along with all who knew and
19 loved him and extend our sincere condolences to his friends and
20 family; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
22 presented to the family of Ralph H. Sprehe as a token of our
23 deepest sympathy.