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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Donald J. Dalton of Naperville, who
4 passed away on November 2, 2009; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Donald Dalton was born on June 2, 1943, in St.
6 Charles; and
 
7     WHEREAS, In July of 1969, Donald Dalton was injured in a
8 diving accident and was permanently paralyzed from the neck
9 down; instead of sulking over what could have been, he decided
10 to go forward and learn as much as he could about computers and
11 technology for the disabled; with the help of a counselor from
12 the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services, he was able
13 to overcome his disability as it related to working and
14 continuing his life; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Over the past 17 years, Donald Dalton has
16 developed a reputation as an internationally-recognized
17 assistive technology expert; in May of 2002, he was invited to
18 China by a group of medical professionals to help teach them
19 about assistive technology for their newly developing national
20 rehabilitation system; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Donald Dalton served as President of Assistive

 

 

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1 Technologies, Inc.; he and his associates have been featured in
2 a 4,000 word story about his company on the front page of the
3 Wall Street journal; he served as a member of the board of
4 directors for Chicago's "Joni and friends" area ministry; he
5 was a developing partner in Independence One, an environmental
6 control solution; he was a former member of the Board of
7 Trustees of Equip for Equality in Chicago, the American Legion,
8 and the VFW; he was a former City of Naperville Fire Department
9 volunteer; he was also a former ham radio operator for the City
10 of Naperville; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Donald Dalton and his company have been the
12 subjects of articles in Wired Magazine, Cranes Chicago
13 Business, the Chicago Sun-Times, DuPage Financial, and the
14 Chicago Tribune, and stories on CNN, NBC, Fox, and the USA
15 Network; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Donald Dalton was the Illinois State 1994 winner
17 of the Blue Chip Enterprise Initiative Award; he was nominated
18 for the Emerging Entrepreneur Award by the DuPage Area
19 Association in 1994 and 1995; in 2008, he and his company were
20 individually nominated for New Freedom Awards; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Donald Dalton was a former drummer for the
22 Maybees, a nationally-recognized rock and roll band; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Donald Dalton was preceded in death by his
2 parents, James and Catherine Dalton, and his siblings, Thomas
3 and James Dalton, Ann Safranski, Patricia McGrath, and Theresa
4 Friedl; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Donald Dalton is survived by his wife, Helen (nee
6 Zarko); his son, Thomas (Dawn) Dalton; his grandchildren, Eva,
7 Mia, Abby, and Liam Dalton; and his many nieces, nephews,
8 cousins, and friends; therefore, be it
 
9     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
10 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
11 his family and friends, the passing of Donald J. Dalton; and be
12 it further
 
13     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14 presented to the family of Donald Dalton as an expression of
15 our sympathy.