SR0382 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0382 LRB093 16290 KEF 41928 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois were saddened to learn of the death of Ursula Kathryn Beck of Decatur on January 5, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Ursula was born February 9, 1932, in Decatur, the daughter of Frank and Gertrude (Schlemm) Young; she was a graduate of St. Teresa High School, class of 1950; and

WHEREAS, She was a professional dancer with the Fred Hensy Dance Studio and was an outstanding tap dancer; as a youth, Ursula was the seven-time Decatur Recreation Department Girls Junior Tennis Champion; as an adult, she was the Millikin University women's tennis coach; she still holds the highest lifetime winning percentage of any women's tennis coach at Millikin University; and

WHEREAS, She married Darrell Wayne Beck on November 14, 1953; together, they had seven children, Mark, Matthew, Angela, Amelia, Daniel, Samuel, and Margaret; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Beck managed Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Decatur and Bloomington; she choreographed and directed five Mental Health Cotillions and directed five annual spring musicals for St. Teresa High School; she was the play-by-play spotter for St. Teresa High School Football from 1967 to 1999; she was also a certified high school girl's volleyball referee for many years; and

WHEREAS, She was a lifetime member of St. James Catholic Church, active in the Adult Choir, the home and school association, and she was very active in the local, state, and worldwide Knights of Columbus; Mrs. Beck had nine audiences with Pope John Paul II and was a member of the Knight Commander-Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem; The Holy Sepulcher is the highest-ranking honor that can be bestowed on a layperson in the Catholic Church; she met Mother Teresa and volunteered in her soup kitchen in Rome; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Beck served as a board member with the American Red Cross and Webster Cantrell Hall; she volunteered with Central Illinois Special Olympics, the Good Samaritan Inn, the Central Illinois Prison ministries, and as a St. Teresa High School cheerleader advisor; and

WHEREAS, Together, Mr. and Mrs. Beck contributed to many area capital campaign and development projects, including: St. James Catholic Church, the Springfield Catholic Diocese in Illinois, St. Teresa High School, Catholic Charities, St. Mary's Hospital Foundation, Millikin University, Eastern Illinois University Newman Center, Richland Community College, Decatur Park District Foundation, Decatur Community Central Park Water Fountain, Kemmerer Village, the Easter Seal Society of Central Illinois, the YMCA/YWCA, Korean War Veterans, SummerStart, and WILL; and

WHEREAS, The couple was the sole financial sponsor for five years of the Decatur Recreation Department Park Summer Staff Singers and sponsors of the USTA Ursula K. Beck Pro Tennis Tournament held annually at Fairview Park; in addition, they fund academic scholarships at Millikin University, Richland Community College, and St. Teresa High School; and

WHEREAS, For their extraordinary generosity, two Illinois facilities were named in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Beck, the Darrell and Ursula Beck Special Olympic Training Facility in Bloomington and the Ursula Beck Tennis Pro Shop at Fairview Park in Decatur; and

WHEREAS, As a couple, Ursula and Darrell Beck were also honored as the Illinois State Knights of Columbus Council Family of the Year and the Sertoma International Family of the Year; in addition, they received membership in the Millikin University 2001 Medallion Society, the Easter Seals Seal of Tribute designation, and the Metro Decatur Chamber of Commerce Civic Leadership Award; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Beck always had compassion for the people in her life; she was a tremendous wife, mother, and friend to all; she was perpetually positive and inspired everyone around her to achieve and be the very best that they could be; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Ursula Kathryn Beck will be deeply felt by many, especially her sisters, Patricia Galligan and Norma Robinson (Harry); her sons, Mark S (Dominique), Matthew A. (Natalie), Daniel Jr. (Tunde), and Samuel F. (Jennifer); her daughters, Angela C., Amelia M. Bliefnick (Raymond), and Margaret U. Beck Pugh (Bradley); her grandchildren, Christine, Stephanie, and Emily Beck; Ted, Tim, and Tom Bliefnick; Estelle and Lillian Beck; August and Sutton Beck; and Lauryn and Gracey Pugh; and many nieces and nephews; and

WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her parents; and her sisters, Mary Frances Stowell, Bea McManus, and Gay Young; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Ursula Kathryn Beck along with all who knew and loved her and extend our sincere condolences to her family and friends; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Ursula Kathryn Beck as an expression of our deepest sympathy.