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| | SR1369 | | LRB099 16743 MST 41082 r |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to |
| 3 | | learn of the death of Barry Keefe of Wheaton, who passed away |
| 4 | | on January 10, 2016 at the age of 62; and
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| 5 | | WHEREAS, Barry Keefe was born on Chicago's North Side; he |
| 6 | | grew up in Niles, Michigan, where he began his career as a |
| 7 | | weekend disc jockey at WNIL at 17, while still in high school; |
| 8 | | he earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Grand |
| 9 | | Valley State University at Allendale, Michigan, where he was |
| 10 | | also the news director for the college radio station; he later |
| 11 | | worked for stations in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cedar Rapids, |
| 12 | | Iowa; and
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| 13 | | WHEREAS, Barry Keefe retired in 2008 after 30 years as |
| 14 | | director of news and public affairs at WTMX FM 101.9; he was |
| 15 | | best known for his long run as news anchor on Eric Ferguson and |
| 16 | | Kathy Hart's top-rated morning show, "Eric and Kathy" on The |
| 17 | | Mix; he joined the hot adult-contemporary station in 1978 when |
| 18 | | it was still known as WCLR; he also taught sound engineering at |
| 19 | | the Illinois Institute of Art from 2010 to 2014 and served as |
| 20 | | their Assistant Director of Admissions; and
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| 21 | | WHEREAS, During his career, Barry Keefe won or shared more |
| 22 | | than 75 awards for his work; some of his honors included |
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| | SR1369 | - 2 - | LRB099 16743 MST 41082 r |
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| 1 | | winning The Associated Press' award for Best Enterprise and |
| 2 | | Investigative Reporting in 1982, the AP's awards in 1986 for |
| 3 | | Best Editorial, Best Documentary, and Best Public Service |
| 4 | | Announcement, the United Press International's award for Best |
| 5 | | Newswriter in 1991, and the Illinois Broadcasters |
| 6 | | Association's Silver Dome Award in 2008 for the Best Public |
| 7 | | Affairs Program; and
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| 8 | | WHEREAS, Barry Keefe was involved in a variety of volunteer |
| 9 | | activities, including working to save the Wheaton Grand Theater |
| 10 | | in Wheaton, forming WTMX's volunteer fair, and offering his |
| 11 | | time to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the DuPage |
| 12 | | County Suburban Emergency Management Project, and the Glen |
| 13 | | Ellyn-based Teen Parent Connection; and
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| 14 | | WHEREAS, Barry Keefe is survived by his wife, Kathy, and |
| 15 | | his sons, Alex and Aidan; therefore, be it
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| 16 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL |
| 17 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of |
| 18 | | Barry Keefe, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, |
| 19 | | friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
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| 20 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
| 21 | | presented to the family of Barry Keefe as an expression of our |
| 22 | | deepest sympathy.
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