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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to  learn of the death of
Robert G. 
4Kirchner of Urbana, who passed away on April 17, 2011; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner was born on June 23, 1956, in 
6Joliet; his parents were Robert and Margaret (Keyser) Kirchner; 
7he grew up in New Lenox; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner attended Western Illinois 
9University, earning his Bachelor's degree in philosophy and 
10political science in 1976 and his Master's degree in political 
11science in 1977; while in college, he met his future wife, 
12Gerri; they married August 25, 1979, in Park Ridge; he later 
13attended the University of Illinois College of Law, and earned 
14his law degree in 1982; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, After earning his law degree, he joined the 
16Champaign law practice of Burt Greaves and Art Lerner, which 
17became Greaves, Lerner and Kirchner, and later, Lerner and 
18Kirchner; in 2004, he opened his own law office in Champaign; 
19he argued many cases before the appellate courts and the 
20Illinois Supreme Court, winning several cases that established 
21legal precedents; he was well known among his peers as a 
22champion of numerous legal causes that other attorneys would 
 
 
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1not take; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, He ran as a Democratic candidate for State 
3Representative in 1996; despite losing the election, his 
4campaign engaged public participation by hosting a series of 
5monthly symposiums on key issues impacting State legislation, 
6including education funding, crime, drug abuse, gun control, 
7child welfare, women's rights, health care, employment laws, 
8and campaign finance reform; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner served on the Champaign County 
10Board as the District 9 representative, appointed in 2001 and 
11elected in 2002 to a 2-year term; as a member of the board, he 
12voted to pass laws to guarantee a living wage for all full-time 
13county employees, prohibit employment discrimination on the 
14basis of race, gender, or sexual orientation, and establish 
15free dental care for low-income children; he served as chair of 
16the county nursing home sub-committee and worked on the 
17successful passage of the referendum proposal to fund its 
18construction; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner served as Vice President of the 
20Champaign County Bar Association from 1994 to 1995; in 1994, he 
21helped establish Best Interest of Children, a local non-profit 
22organization dedicated to child and family advocacy, and served 
23on the organization's board; and
  
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, He was an avid softball player, and enjoyed 
2volleyball, bocce ball, bowling, ping pong, bridge, hearts, 
3pinochle, poker, and other games; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner is survived by his wife of 32 
5years, Gerri; his sisters, Marlene (Dennis) Gallagher and 
6Lorrie (Robert) Chaplin; his brothers, John (Carol) Burkhart, 
7Ron (Laura) Kirchner, and David Kirchner; his brother-in-law, 
8Paul (Sue) Geissler; his sister-in-law, Shelly (Paul) Kotecki; 
9his 4 nephews; and his 7 nieces; therefore, be it
  
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
11NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
12we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of 
13Robert Kirchner; and be it further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
15presented to the family of Robert Kirchner as an expression of 
16our sympathy.