093_SR0318
LRB093 14409 HSS 20052 r
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of
3 Illinois learned with regret of the death of Bill Miller of
4 The Woodlands, Texas, on Monday, November 10, 2003; and
5 WHEREAS, Born Alvin W. Pistorius on August 25, 1923 in
6 Carlinville, Mr. Miller graduated from Carlinville High
7 School; he valiantly served his country during World War II
8 in the U.S. Army as a Sergeant in the 1st Infantry Division;
9 he returned from Europe in 1945 with a Bronze Star and seven
10 battle stars; and
11 WHEREAS, In 1949, Mr. Miller earned a degree in
12 journalism from the University of Illinois, where he met his
13 future wife, Stella Stapleton; they were married in 1950; and
14 WHEREAS, Mr. Miller was hired at WTAX-AM, where he spent
15 nearly two decades as a reporter and news director; he began
16 using Bill Miller as his professional name early in his radio
17 career; he launched the Capitol Information Bureau, which was
18 the first radio network in the State and was based in the
19 Statehouse; and
20 WHEREAS, Mr. Miller was dedicated to freedom of the
21 press; he fought for the right to record proceedings that are
22 now routinely recorded; he helped draft versions of the State
23 Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act; his
24 investigative reporting won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow
25 Award from the national Radio and Television News Directors
26 Association; he was also the recipient of 20 Associated Press
27 awards for radio reporting; and
28 WHEREAS, Mr. Miller carried his press advocacy into his
29 19-year career as head of the Public Affairs Reporting
30 graduate program at Sangamon State University, now the
31 University of Illinois at Springfield; the program combined
-2- LRB093 14409 HSS 20052 r
1 classroom work and internships with news organizations
2 covering the Capitol; during his tenure, over 300 students
3 graduated from the program; he was named Illinoisan of the
4 Year by the Illinois News Broadcasters in 1989 for his work
5 in journalism education and promoting the Freedom of
6 Information Act; and
7 WHEREAS, The passing of Bill Miller has been deeply felt
8 by many, especially his wife, Stella; his daughters, Nancy
9 Pistorius Buecker, Cindy Wieties-Ogren, and Mary Pistorius
10 Zerfas; his son, Bill Pistorius; and his eight granchildren;
11 his son, William Edward, preceded him in death; therefore, be
12 it
13 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
14 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing
15 of Bill Miller, a pioneer of broadcast news reporting and a
16 man devoted to the freedom of the press; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18 presented to the family of Mr. Miller as an expression of our
19 sincerest condolences during their time of bereavement.