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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of James M. "Jim" Balmes, who passed away on
4April 21, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jim Balmes was born in Wilmette on March 15, 1921
6to Joseph and Theresa (nee Pestka) Balmes; he attended St.
7Anastasia Grade School and Warren Township High School; he
8served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1941 to 1944;
9he married Lois Potter on April 15, 1944 at St. Patrick's
10Church in Wadsworth and they settled in Gurnee; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Jim Balmes worked as a bookkeeper for Gurnee V & S
12Hardware; he then obtained his IRS certificate and became a tax
13accountant for the Illinois Hardware Association; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Jim Balmes was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing
15horseshoes, both of which he did into his 90s; he was an active
16member of St. Gilbert's in Grayslake and belonged to the Holy
17Name Society and the St. Vincent DePaul Society; he was an avid
18fan of the Warren Township High School athletic teams and
19served on the school board; he and his wife volunteered many
20hours to both the Lake County Historical Society and the Lake
21County Museum; in his retirement years, he returned to his
22grade school as a volunteer for the St. Anastasia Outreach

 

 

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1Program; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Jim Balmes was preceded in death by wife, Lois;
3his parents; and his siblings, John, Fran, Bill, Fred, Aggie,
4and Dick; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jim Balmes is survived by his children, Dianne
6(Lanny) Cummings, Janet (Dick) Sleyster, Pat Balmes, Ed Balmes,
7Charlie (Kathy) Balmes, and Nancy (Russ) Panzarella; his
8grandchildren, Heather (Ron) Kaufmann, Keith Cummings, Rich,
9Dave (Jen), and Darin (Kristy) Sleyster, Anne (Nate) Timmons,
10Nick (Elena), Mary, James, CJ, Nicole, and Eric Balmes, Stacy
11(Chris) Hutchcraft, and Brad and Alli Panzarella; his
12great-grandchildren, Daniel Kaufmann, Kayleigh and Breccan
13Sleyster, Owen, Isaiah, Eli, and Evelyn Timmons, Dylan
14Hutchcraft, and soon to arrive, William Balmes; his siblings,
15Mark Balmes, Theresa Crowley, and MaryAnn Grum; therefore, be
16it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
18ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
19James M. "Jim" Balmes, and extend our sincere condolences to
20his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
21further
 
22    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

 

 

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1presented to the family of Jim Balmes as an expression of our
2deepest sympathy.