HR0767 LRB095 13985 GRL 39802 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Louis M.
4 Christen of Mattoon; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Louis M. Christen was born on February 5, 1921 in
6 Fieldon; he was the second son of Frank and Anastacia (Goddee)
7 Christen; he married Jean Ashmore, who preceded him in death,
8 in 1944; he married Freda Donnell in 1979; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Louis M. Christen served as a navigator with the
10 303rd Bombardment Group flying missions from Molesworth,
11 England during the Second World War; during one of his
12 missions, after his plane was crippled by anti-aircraft fire,
13 he successfully navigated his B-17 Bomber to a crash landing in
14 eastern Poland, with every crewman surviving the crash; he
15 enjoyed attending annual reunions with his compatriots until
16 the group was disbanded in 2007; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Louis M. Christen dedicated his professional life
18 to the field of agricultural development; he began as an
19 educator in Humboldt before becoming an assistant extension
20 agent in Shelbyville; he served as a Coles County Cooperative
21 Extension Service Farm Adviser from 1957 until his retirement
22 in September 1982; many farmers would turn to him as a source

 

 

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1 of agricultural information, a valuable commodity before the
2 advent of the Internet; after his retirement, he maintained an
3 active presence as a regular at the twice-yearly meetings held
4 by a group of retired Extension area advisers; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Louis M. Christen maintained a keen interest in
6 local affairs; during his retirement, he served on the board of
7 directors of The Bank in Charleston; he also served as The
8 Bank's agricultural advisor; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Louis M. Christen positively affected the lives of
10 many young people; he was one of the founders of the 4-H Club
11 livestock auctions at the Coles County Fair in 1957 and was
12 recently honored during the 50th anniversary of this tradition;
13 and
 
14     WHEREAS, Louis M. Christen always enjoyed the fellowship of
15 humans and animals; for many years, he maintained a "menagerie"
16 of peacocks, guineas, turkeys, and other strange feathered
17 friends; he recently kept back yard feeders well-stocked and
18 enjoyed watching his birds and keeping the squirrels at bay;
19 and
 
20     WHEREAS, Louis M. Christen was a devoted member and
21 supporter of St. Paul's Lutheran Church; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Louis M. Christen is survived by his loving wife,
2 Freda; his sons, David and wife Sandy and Darryl and wife Mona;
3 his sister, Madonna Berry; his grandchildren, Holly Talbert and
4 husband Chris, Elan Christen, Nathan Christen, and Dylan
5 Christen; his stepchildren, Robert Donnell (wife Carol,
6 deceased), Nancy Breningmeyer and husband Lloyd, William
7 Donnell and wife Shirley, Linda Gargus (husband Kenny,
8 deceased), J. Tom Donnell, Rena Roberts and husband Hilton; and
9 his numerous step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren;
10 and
 
11     WHEREAS, Louis M. Christen was preceded in death by his
12 first wife, Jean; his parents, Frank and Anastacia; his
13 brothers, Frank, Eugene, Henry, Everett, and Neil; and his
14 sister, Anastacia; therefore, be it
 
15     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
16 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
17 mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Louis
18 M. Christen; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20 presented to Louis M. Christen as a symbol of our esteem and
21 respect.