SR0934 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0934 LRB094 22084 KXB 60697 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois wish to commend Senator Adeline Geo-Karis of Zion on her longtime commitment to her constituents and the people of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis is an exemplary lawmaker who is held in the highest regard for her thirty-three years of public service in the Illinois General Assembly, which commenced in the Illinois House of Representatives and concluded in the Illinois Senate; and

WHEREAS, Adeline Geo-Karis was born on March 29, 1918, in Tegeas, Greece and would become known as a proud American, political pioneer, and beloved public steward; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis attended Northwestern University and received her L.L.B. from DePaul University; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis has devoted decades to making life better for the people of Lake County; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis has worked hard throughout her lengthy career to advance the public good and safeguard freedom; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis has served as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Naval Reserves, an Assistant State's Attorney, a Justice of the Peace, the Mayor of Zion, a State Representative, and a State Senator; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis heads her own law firm in Zion, Illinois, she is a former municipal attorney for Mundelein, Vernon Hills, Libertyville Township, and Long Grove School District, and she was elected Justice of the Peace in Lake County, Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis was the first woman ever to be appointed to the position of Assistant State's Attorney in Lake County, and she went on to become the first Lake-County woman elected to the Senate and the House; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis was the first woman in Illinois' history ever to serve in the Senate Leadership, serving for ten years as Assistant Senate Majority Leader; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis was the Minority Spokesman for the Senate Executive Appointments Committee, and she is currently one of only two Republican Senators to serve as co-chairperson of a committee in the 94th General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis has been a strong advocate for veterans; she serves as Chairperson of the Senate Republican Task Force on Veterans, where she has continually worked to protect our men and women in the Armed Forces; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis has worked in a bipartisan manner to enact legislation for strong crime control and to benefit veterans, senior citizens, children, people with disabilities, and the working majority; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis pioneered legislation on gasohol, solar energy, and other alternative energy resources, and she is commended for her sponsorship of the Nuclear Safety Preparedness Act, the Alternative Energy Act, laws to increase safety on Illinois lakes, and many other laws; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis successfully sponsored and supported important crime-control legislation, and she is a proud sponsor of the "Guilty but Mentally Ill" law; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis has been consistently recognized for her commitment and support of Illinois' business community, senior citizens, and agriculture, resulting in better lives and more opportunities for many of her constituents; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis' commitment to aiding and advancing the needs of Illinois' veterans and Armed Forces is a testament to the highest form of compassion, patriotism, and human decency; and

WHEREAS, While she is proud of her American citizenship, Adeline Geo-Karis continues to honor her Greek heritage and has worked to assist and support the Greek community throughout her tenure as a public official; and

WHEREAS, Senator Geo-Karis has been affectionately dubbed "Geo" by her friends and colleagues and is a beloved political icon known throughout Illinois for her intelligence, compassion, and gracious demeanor; and

WHEREAS, Geo has been, and will continue to be, an inspiration to women and men everywhere for her many achievements and accomplishments and for her service to the people of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that Senator Geo-Karis will leave us with cherished memories of the times that she shared with us, and we wish her good health and future happiness; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Senator Geo-Karis as an expression of our great esteem and respect for our colleague and friend.