093_SR0192
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1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of
3 Illinois were saddened to learn of the death of Donovan Lee
4 John Van Der Snick of Batavia on May 8, 2003; and
5 WHEREAS, Mr. Van Der Snick was born on April 29, 1928, in
6 Geneseo, the son of Raymond and Esther (Nicely) Van Der
7 Snick; and
8 WHEREAS, Mr. Van Der Snick grew up in Geneseo and
9 attended Geneseo High School, graduating in 1946; he attended
10 Monmouth College and then graduated from Carthage College in
11 1950; following graduation, he taught at Homer High School,
12 where he began his coaching career in football, basketball,
13 and track; in Homer, he met his wife, Marian Melton, and they
14 were soon married; his coaching was interrupted when he
15 served in the Army for two years during the Korean War; and
16 WHEREAS, After serving his country, he returned to
17 teaching and coaching, helping students learn and grow at a
18 number of high schools in Illinois; at Effingham, he was head
19 track coach and assistant coach in football and basketball;
20 at Newman, he spent four years as head coach in football,
21 basketball and track; at Galva, he spent four years as head
22 coach in basketball, and track, and as assistant coach in
23 football; and
24 WHEREAS, Mr. Van Der Snick worked with some talented
25 athletes at Batavia High School, coaching Ken Anderson, who
26 later played in the NFL and Dan Issel, who played and coached
27 in the NBA; he completed his teaching and coaching career in
28 Wheaton and Lincoln; in his years as a basketball coach, he
29 obtained a record of 363 wins and was later inducted into the
30 Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame; known by his friends and
31 family as "Van" or "Coach", he retired from teaching and
32 coaching in 1975, but continued to support high school
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1 athletics in several ways; he served as an official with the
2 IHSA and frequently attended Batavia High School basketball
3 games in support of head coach Jim Roberts, a former player;
4 he later operated an insurance agency, continuing his work
5 for his clients from his hospital bed; and
6 WHEREAS, Mr. Van Der Snick enjoyed sports, fishing,
7 playing cards, and spending time with his family; he leaves
8 many memories of fun times and personal quotes with his
9 children and grandchildren; and
10 WHEREAS, Mr. Van Der Snick's passing will be deeply felt
11 by many, especially his wife of 52 years, Marian Van Der
12 Snick; his children, J. Brick Van Der Snick, Robin (Roger)
13 Hayden, and Staci (Mark) Van Der Snick-Novack; his
14 grandchildren, Kyle Hayden and Hope Novack; his brother,
15 Stanley (Ginny) Van Der Snick; his three nephews; and his
16 three great nieces; and
17 WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond
18 and Esther; therefore, be it
19 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
20 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of
21 Donovan Lee John Van Der Snick along with all who knew and
22 loved him and extend our sincere condolences to his family
23 and friends; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
25 presented to the family of Donovan Lee John Van Der Snick as
26 an expression of our deepest sympathy.