SR0427 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0427 LRB097 14636 KXB 59518 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of George William "Bill" Wilson of West Frankfort, who passed away on October 30, 2011; and

WHEREAS, He was born April 16, 1947 in Mount Vernon to George C. and Elouise Marshall Wilson; he was a graduate of Benton High School; he married Cathy Guminski on March 14, 1970; and

WHEREAS, He served in the United States Army from 1967 to 1969; he worked with his father at Wilson Home Improvement Company before becoming a Franklin County deputy in 1974; he served as chief deputy from 1982 to 1990; he was elected sheriff of Franklin County in 1990 and served 5 consecutive terms, making him Franklin County's longest-serving sheriff, until his retirement in November 2010; and

WHEREAS, He served on several boards over the years, including the Rend Lake College Law Enforcement Advisory Board, the Illinois State Police Crime Laboratory's Advisory Board, the Southern Illinois Criminal Justice Training Board, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, as past president of Mobile Training Unit 15, and as past president of the Southern Zone Sheriffs' Association; and

WHEREAS, He was elected to the Illinois Sheriffs' Association Executive Board in 1999; he served in all offices and was sworn in as president in 2008; he served on many committees during his tenure, including at Southern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Rend Lake College, and John A. Logan College, to establish student internship programs for law enforcement; he assisted the superintendent of schools to establish a GED program for inmates during incarceration; assisted the Carbondale Women's Center with the Victim Witness Program; and he assisted in a certified training program for telecommunicators in advance of the emergency 911 systems; and

WHEREAS, He was instrumental in securing the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center; he was a member of American Legion Post 280 in Benton, where he had served as a past commander; the Moose Lodge in West Frankfort; the West Frankfort Area Democrats; and St. Mark's Episcopal Church; and

WHEREAS, He was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and collector of baseball cards and memorabilia; he loved to watch his garden grow, enjoyed fishing and hunting, and during his last 2 years, loved spending his days with his "li'l buddy," Evan; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his son, Mike; his parents; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Zeig and Margaret Guminski; and his brothers-in-law, Cliff Cockrum and Jack Steinmetz; and

WHEREAS, George Wilson is survived by his wife, Cathy; his daughter, Danalyn, and her husband, Dennis West; his grandsons, Harley and Evan West; his sisters, Sally and her husband, Duane Revis, and Nancy Cockrum; his sister-in-law, Judy Steinmetz; his brother-in-law, Danny and his wife, Reetha Guminski; his nieces and nephews, Tracy Saffelder, Rodney Sailliez, Jason Revis, Michele Odle, Susan Cannon, Stacey Fitch, Danielle Walters, and Josh Guminski; aunts, Maxine Taylor and Lucille Yount; lifelong friend, Ron Vanhorn; and 30-year co-worker, Marsha Pappas, who became a trusted and valued friend and was considered a member of his family; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of George William "Bill" Wilson; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of George William "Bill" Wilson as an expression of our sympathy.