SR0744

LRB094 20486 HSS 58750 r






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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Senate were deeply saddened to 
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learn of the death of Berardo J. "Dee" DeSimone Sr. of 
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Elmhurst, the former regional superintendent of schools in 
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DuPage County, on April 26, 2006; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mr. DeSimone was born to Italian immigrant parents 
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and raised in Chicago; he attended Crane Tech High School; 
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after his graduation in 1944, he attended Iowa State University 
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on a football scholarship and received his associate's degree 
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in education; he also played baseball and was drafted by the 
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Boston Red Sox; and

 
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    WHEREAS, While at Iowa State, Mr. DeSimone suffered an 
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injury and returned home, where he attended DePaul University; 
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from 1948 through 1950 he was a teacher with the Chicago Board 
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of Education; he earned his bachelor of science degree in 
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education at DePaul in 1949; he went on to receive his 
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doctorate from Rhode Island University and completed 
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coursework at Northwestern University, Northern Illinois 
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University, and Loyola University; and

 
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    WHEREAS,  Mr. DeSimone was drafted into the Army in 1950; a 
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year later, while on leave, he married Sally Rose, whom he met 
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while dancing at the Paradise Ballroom; after his Army service, 
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he joined Berkeley School District 87 in 1952; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mr. DeSimone served the District a total of 22 
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years, as teacher, assistant principal, director of the 
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physical education department, business manager, assistant 
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superintendent, and superintendent; while serving as a 
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principal in 1958, shortly after the Our Lady of the Angels 
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fire that killed 92 students and three nuns in Chicago, he 
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helped develop and write the State's life safety codes; and

 
 


 






SR0744
- 2 -
LRB094 20486 HSS 58750 r




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    WHEREAS, Mr. DeSimone  joined the Illinois State Board of 
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Education as an educational specialist in 1974; he became 
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assistant regional superintendent of schools in DuPage County 
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in 1976; he was first appointed to the post of regional 
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superintendent in 1985 and served through 2003; he never faced 
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an opponent for election or re-election; and

 
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    WHEREAS, As one of the 45 statewide regional 
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superintendents, Mr. DeSimone acted as an intermediary between 
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the 43 county school districts and the Illinois State Board of 
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Education; he helped shape new programs for the districts, 
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including the development of the DuPage Area Vocational 
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Education Association, now the DuPage Area Occupational 
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Education System; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mr. DeSimone also served as chairman of the 
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Illinois State Board of Education Health and Life Safety 
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Advisory Board committee and was a former Illinois Building 
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Commission member; he was preceded in death by his wife and a 
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son, Joseph; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The passing of Berardo J. "Dee" DeSimone Sr. is 
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deeply felt by all who knew and loved him, especially his 
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surviving sons, Berardo Jr. and Neil; his sister, Anne; and his 
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11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; therefore, be 
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it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of 
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Berardo J. DeSimone Sr., and we extend our sincerest 
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condolences to his family, friends, and community; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Berardo J. DeSimone Sr. as an 
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expression of our deepest sympathy.