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LRB095 22089 GRL 52371 r |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to |
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| learn of the death of
Dr. Gary Wayne Carstens of East Alton, |
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| who passed away on August 4, 2008; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens was born June 2, 1943 in Alton; |
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| he was the son of the late Damon and Ann (Mihalich) Carstens; |
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| he married Sue (Chester) Carstens on July 22, 1961 in Wood |
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| River; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens was raised in Wood River, |
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| graduating from Wood River High School in 1961; he was employed |
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| with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft and Avco Aerostructures as a |
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| journeyman electrician and a numerical control agent and |
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| machine tool specialist for eight years; and
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| WHEREAS, In 1968, Dr. Gary Carstens graduated from the FWB |
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| Bible College in Nashville, Tennessee, receiving his |
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| bachelor's degree in pastoral theology; in 1976, he received |
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| his doctoral degree in theology; after graduating, he pastored |
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| his first church in Denver, Colorado, later serving as pastor |
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| in Elgin; he also served as Associate Pastor at the Bethel Free |
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| Will Baptist Church in South Roxana; in 1974, Dr. Carstens |
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| founded the New Testament Fellowship in Alton, serving as |
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| senior pastor for 32 years until his semi-retirement in 2002; |
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LRB095 22089 GRL 52371 r |
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| following his retirement, he started a successful home-based |
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| travel business; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens was a devout fan of the St. |
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| Louis Cardinals and was an avid reader; he also loved traveling |
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| and spending time in Florida, walking the beaches with his wife |
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| and family; he attained his own professional broadcasting |
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| license and enjoyed amateur radio operating; he also wrote many |
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| seminars and a book on ministerial ethics; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens was preceded in death by his |
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| parents; his beloved father-in-law, Harry Ray Chester; and his |
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| daughter, Mary Anna; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens is survived by his wife; his |
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| three sons and two daughters-in-law, Rev. Daren W. Carstens and |
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| his wife, Laura (Allen) Carstens, Christopher S. Carstens and |
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| his wife, Mari Beth (McCarthy) Carstens, and Brian P. Carstens; |
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| his beloved mother-in-law, Mary Grace (Bennet) Chester; his |
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| sisters and brother-in-law, Raydine (Chester) Alexander and |
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| her husband, Bill, and Kym (Chester) Brown; his grandchildren, |
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| Tiffany, Cami, Amanda, Adam, Abigail, Joel, Tyler, Cassidy, |
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| Brendan, Colton, Amber, and Ashley; and his great-grandsons, |
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| Malaki and Xaden; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens will be remembered by all who |
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LRB095 22089 GRL 52371 r |
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| knew and loved him as a compassionate and loving husband and |
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| father who was dedicated to the passionate pursuit of The Lord |
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| and His ministry; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL |
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| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with |
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| his family and friends, the passing of Dr. Gary Wayne Carstens; |
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| and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
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| presented to the family of Dr. Gary Wayne Carstens as an |
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| expression of our sympathy.
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