093_SR0056

 
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 1                          SENATE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Radio listeners throughout the Metro East region
 3    are saddened that the voice of broadcast journalist Nan Wyatt
 4    was tragically silenced February 18, 2003; and

 5        WHEREAS, She was born Nandray Ann Walicki in Fort  Wayne,
 6    Indiana  in  1958 and attended Concordia Grade School, Bishop
 7    Lehr's High  School,  and  Indiana  University;  she  studied
 8    journalism and communication; and

 9        WHEREAS,  Her  career as an award winning journalist took
10    her from WBBM in Chicago to WILM in Wilmington, Delaware, and
11    to KXOK, KETC and KMOX in St. Louis where colleagues said she
12    was the reason the morning show, "Total Information AM,"  was
13    always at the top of the charts; and

14        WHEREAS,   Nan   Wyatt's  reputation  as  an  outstanding
15    reporter and journalist was highlighted  when  the  show  was
16    awarded  the  National  Associated Press Award for Enterprise
17    Reporting in 1995 while working at WBBM in Chicago; and

18        WHEREAS, Nan Wyatt first entered broadcast journalism  at
19    KXOK  in  St.  Louis and then moved to Delaware where she was
20    the managing editor of WILM-AM; and

21        WHEREAS, Nan Wyatt returned to St. Louis  to  work  as  a
22    writer/reporter  for  KMOX  and  eventually hosted "KMOX This
23    Morning" and the midday "News Magazine"; and

24        WHEREAS, She moved to WBBM in Chicago as  the  drive-time
25    afternoon  anchor,  providing  live  coverage  of an airplane
26    crash in Pittsburgh and the State of the Union address in the
27    nation's capital; and

28        WHEREAS, Nan Wyatt's journey in life brought her back  to
29    St.  Louis,  KMOX,  the  listeners  who  loved  her  and  the
30    colleagues   who   respected  her  idealism,  integrity,  and
 
                            -2-      LRB093 11129 KEF 11929 r
 1    dedication to the field of journalism; and

 2        WHEREAS, As the word of her tragic death  was  announced,
 3    public  officials,  colleagues, and listeners were unified in
 4    the praise and admiration of a career that ended  too  early;
 5    and

 6        WHEREAS,  Even though her colleagues were deeply saddened
 7    by the news of Nan's death, the example she set inspired them
 8    to carry on and get out the news of the  day  to  the  public
 9    that counts on their coverage; and

10        WHEREAS,  Although  she was a committed professional, her
11    first love was motherhood and her young son, Drake; and

12        WHEREAS, Nan Wyatt is survived by  her  son,  Drake;  her
13    mother,  Nancy; her stepfather, James Mills, Sr.; her sisters
14    Dana Mella, Barbara Mills, Jill Davids,  and  Kelly  Burdsal;
15    and her brothers, James Mills, Jr. and David Mills; therefore
16    be it

17        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
18    ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we extend our deepest
19    sympathies to the family of Nan Wyatt and the extended family
20    of KMOX; and be it further

21        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
22    presented  to  the  family  of  Nan  Wyatt  with  our sincere
23    condolences.