SR0435 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Rupert Nelson Evans, who passed away on April 24, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Rupert Evans was born on April 6, 1921 in Terre Haute, Indiana; his parents were Loran Nelson and Hazel Rupert Evans; he married Barbara Jean Barbre in 1941; following his first wife's death, he married Mary K. Flora Farber in 2000; Mary passed away on April 3, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Rupert Evans served his country as a member of the United States Navy in the Admiralty Islands during World War II; and

WHEREAS, Rupert Evans graduated from Indiana State Teachers College in 1946 and began teaching high school vocational machine shop in Indiana; he subsequently earned his Ph.D. in industrial psychology from Purdue University in 1950; he was also a Fulbright Scholar at Yokohama National University in Japan in 1957 and the recipient of 4 honorary doctorates; and

WHEREAS, Rupert Evans taught for 32 years at the University of Illinois, where he served as head of 2 departments and as dean of the College of Education; he was the major adviser for more than 50 doctoral students and was principal investigator on numerous funded research studies; he wrote 10 books and many articles on vocational and industrial education, teacher education, and bookbinding; he also served as president of the University of Illinois Faculty Senate and as a member of numerous all-university committees; and

WHEREAS, Rupert Evans was active in many academic, professional, and community organizations; he was a presidential appointee to numerous national committees and served as chairman of the National Academy of Sciences Study Committee on Vocational Education Research; he lectured and conducted research at various national and international universities; he served on the Champaign Unit 4 School Board for 2 terms and served on the board of the Champaign-Urbana Habitat for Humanity; he also served as a member of the Urbana Park District Advisory Committee and was the first president of the Urbana Free Library Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Rupert Evans is survived by 3 daughters, Ellen (Roger) Collins, Catherine (Ron) Westman, and Nancy (Paul) McNabb, and his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his family and friends, mourn the passing of Rupert Nelson Evans; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Rupert Evans as an expression of our sympathy.