HR1162

LRB094 19961 HSS 57350 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the 
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State of Illinois learned with regret of the death Richard 
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"Dick" Lawless of Bartonville on February 16, 2006; and

 
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    WHEREAS,  Born on October 23, 1920, in Peoria, Richard 
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Lawless was the son of Harry P. and Anna Wolf Lawless; he was a 
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1939 graduate of Manual Training High School, where he was an 
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all-conference athlete in basketball and baseball; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1942, Mr. Lawless entered the United States 
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Naval Air Corps and was commissioned as a naval aviator at the 
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Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida; he served as an 
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instrument flight instructor during World War II and was 
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honorably discharged in 1946; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He married Lucille Marie Dancy on April 29, 1944, 
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in Peoria; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mr. Lawless was a lifelong member of the United 
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Association of Steamfitters Local 353 for 65 years, where he 
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served as business agent, business manager, and apprentice 
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coordinator; during his career, he established the 
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Steamfitters Apprentice Program, playing a leading role in 
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creating the training school; he was an instructor and a mentor 
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to apprentice steamfitters for over four decades; and
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1990, he received the coveted Francis X. 
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McCartin Citizen Leadership Hawk on the Rock Award from the 
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United Association; he was awarded the Tri-County Construction 
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(TRI-CON) Person of the Year award in 2003 in recognition of 
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his many contributions to labor-management relations in the 
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Central Illinois construction industry; in 2005, he received 
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the Citizens Award for Dedicated Service to Illinois Law 
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Enforcement Agencies from the Peoria County Association of 
 


 






HR1162
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LRB094 19961 HSS 57350 r




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Chiefs of Police; and
 
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    WHEREAS, He was a co-founder of Lawless Plumbing and 
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Heating Company with his younger brother, Robert; he served on 
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the Peoria County Sheriffs Merit Commission for 35 years, 
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including 24 years as the commission vice chairman; he retired 
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in January of 2006; he was also a member of the Illinois 
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Sheriff Association; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church 
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in Bartonville; Bartonville American Legion Post 979; the 
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Peoria AMVETS Post 64; the Knights of Columbus, St. Jude 
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Council; and the BPOE Lodge 20; he was a lifelong outdoor 
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sportsman and cherished the deeply valued friendships he forged 
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and sustained for over 40 years with fellow members of the 
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Briney-Hamm Duck Hunters Association of Bluff City, Illinois; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, The passing of  Richard Lawless has been deeply 
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felt by many, especially his wife, Lucille Lawless; his sons, 
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Richard P. Lawless Jr. and Robert M. Lawless; his three 
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grandchildren; and his three nieces; he was preceded in death 
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by his parents; his brother, Robert Bob Lawless; and his 
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sister, Elizabeth (Lawless) Janssen; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we mourn the passing of Richard "Dick" Lawless, and we extend 
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our deepest sympathy to his family, friends, colleagues, and 
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all who knew and loved him; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED,  That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to his family as an expression of our sincere 
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condolences.