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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of George Alan Karnes Wallis Hickrod, who
4 died on December 27, 2006; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Alan Hickrod was born, May 16, 1930, in Fort
6 Branch, the son of Herschell Hickrod and Bernice Karnes; he
7 earned his Bachelor's degree at Wabash College, class of 1952;
8 his education was interrupted by a term of duty in the United
9 States Marine Corps; after receiving his honorable discharge,
10 he resumed his studies, earning his Master's and Doctoral
11 degrees from Harvard University, where he graduated Phi Beta
12 Kappa in 1966; and
 
13     WHEREAS, After his graduation from Harvard, he taught at
14 Erie College where he met and married Dr. Lucy Jen Huang; she
15 passed away in 1987; and
 
16     WHEREAS, In 1967, Professor Hickrod began his career at
17 Illinois State University, becoming the first director of the
18 Center for the Study of Educational Finance; at the request of
19 the Illinois General Assembly, the Center monitored the
20 progress of a school funding formula co-authored by Dr. Hickrod
21 and prepared biannual reports for every elected official of the
22 Illinois General Assembly; during his long tenure at the

 

 

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1 University teaching graduate-level courses in the Department
2 of Educational Administration and Foundations, he earned a
3 reputation as a popular teacher and mentor, as well as an
4 outstanding researcher; and
 
5     WHEREAS, In 1983, Illinois State University conferred upon
6 him the honor of Distinguished University Professor; Dr.
7 Hickrod was a recognized national authority on school funding;
8 he was a founding member of the American Education Finance
9 Association and served a term as president and many years on
10 the board of directors; he was invited to testify before a
11 committee of congress; and
 
12     WHEREAS, He served as a consultant and was a popular
13 speaker with groups interested in school finance; he received
14 many awards, including the Chicago Urban League's annual award
15 for outstanding service in human relations; he was an avid
16 reader of politics and history, his letters to the editor of
17 the Pantagraph often reflected his most recent reading; the
18 letters to the editor as well as other essays were recently
19 published in a book entitled, "An Embattled and Unapologetic
20 Liberal"; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Alan Hickrod was a lifelong member of the Scottish
22 Rite Masonic Order, achieving the highest grades and rankings
23 in his 50-year affiliation with the organization; he was proud

 

 

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1 of his Scottish ancestry, and was an organizer and one of the
2 first Chiefs of the Scottish-American Society of Central
3 Illinois; Alan Hickrod was one of only a few persons in the
4 Midwest who speak Scot Gaelic; and
 
5     WHEREAS, He was a gourmet chef and wine connoisseur; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Alan Hickrod is survived by his wife, Dr. Marcia
7 Escott, and her children Beth and Don Newcomer; Eric Escott and
8 Lulu Vallee, and their daughter, Hazel Jane Escott; he is also
9 survived by the children, grandchildren, and family members of
10 Dr. Lucy Jen Huang Lui: Gretchen Liu; Rachel Liu, Wayne, and
11 Sue Hickrod Liu, and their daughter Rachel Liu; Ko Hshing and
12 Chia Ning Huang, and their children; therefore, be it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
14 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
15 his family, friends, and former students, the passing of Alan
16 Hickrod; and be it further
 
17     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18 presented to the family of Alan Hickrod as a symbol of our
19 sympathy.