093_SR0117

                                     LRB093 11387 HSS 13851 r

 1                          SENATE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members  of  the  Senate  of  the  State  of
 3    Illinois  were  saddened  to  learn  of  the death of Vennard
 4    Sylvester Dowd of Moweaqua on Saturday, March 22, 2003; and

 5        WHEREAS, Mr.  Dowd  was  born  on  October  20,  1936  in
 6    Moweaqua  to  Bennard  S.  and Louise Morris Dowd; he married
 7    Helen Joan Logan on January 5, 1958 in Hernando, Mississippi;
 8    she preceded him in death on December 19,  1979;  he  married
 9    Norma Jordan Saddoris on July 3, 1981 in Assumption; and

10        WHEREAS,  Mr.  Dowd  had  been serving his second term as
11    mayor of the village of Moweaqua; he  was  first  elected  in
12    1997;  he  had also served on the village council; he will be
13    remembered as a progressive leader and a loving  family  man;
14    and

15        WHEREAS, Mayor Dowd was an avid golfer and played four to
16    five  times  a week; one of his main accomplishments as mayor
17    was his work on the 80-acre, $2 million project to expand the
18    Moweaqua Golf Course from nine holes  to  18  holes;  he  was
19    instrumental  in  getting  the municipal bonds issued for the
20    project; he was also  known  for  beautifying  Moweaqua  with
21    projects  such  as  the  Wayside  Park, built on an empty lot
22    downtown; he was a sports fan, and was especially proud to be
23    a Central A&M High School Raiders fan; and

24        WHEREAS, Mayor Dowd was a charter member of Grace Baptist
25    Church where he  served  as  deacon,  church  treasurer,  and
26    Sunday  school  teacher;  he  retired  in  1992  from  Wagner
27    Castings  Co.,  where he was a shipping foreman for 37 years;
28    he and his wife  were  owners  of  the  Dowd  House  Bed  and
29    Breakfast; and

30        WHEREAS,  The  passing of Mayor Dowd has been deeply felt
31    by many, especially his wife, Norma; his  children,  Tim  and
 
                            -2-      LRB093 11387 HSS 13851 r
 1    wife  Kathy, Brian and wife Amy, Keith and wife Delores, Beth
 2    Snider and husband Jeff, Lisa Wiseman and husband Jerry,  Kim
 3    Hennings  and  husband  Kevan,  and  Todd  Saddoris  and wife
 4    Rayann;   his   mother,   Louise   Morris   Dowd;   and   his
 5    grandchildren, Erika Dowd, Colin Dowd, Patrick  Dowd,  Hollie
 6    Fore,  Chase Fore, Jennifer Dowd, Charles Dowd, Catrice Dowd,
 7    James Dowd, Rachel Dowd, Nicholas and Trenton Wiseman, Darin,
 8    Scott, Brice, and  Kaley  Hennings,  and  Jared,  Drake,  and
 9    Justin Saddoris; therefore, be it

10        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
11    ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the  passing
12    of  Mayor  Vennard  Sylvester  Dowd  and  extend  our sincere
13    condolences to his friends, family, community,  and  all  who
14    knew and loved him; and be it further

15        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
16    presented to the family of Vennard Dowd as  a  token  of  our
17    deepest sympathy.