SR1411 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1411 LRB099 16543 MST 40879 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of George L. Harlow of Waukegan, who passed away on December 15, 2015; and

WHEREAS, George Harlow was born in Waukegan on February 19, 1924 to Oscar and Mabel Harlow and lived in Waukegan most of his life; he graduated from Waukegan Township High School after attending North and Washington grade schools in Waukegan; and

WHEREAS, George Harlow served in the United States Army Air Force, during World War II; he had one tour of flight duty in the Caribbean and then, traveling by way of South America, Africa, and French Morocco, reached his permanent station, the 8th Air Force base in Norwich, England; his Liberator Bomber was shot down in a raid over Germany in the winter of 1943-44, and, after parachuting into the German mountains, was taken prisoner by the German SS and spent a year and a half in 3 different prison camps located in East Prussia, Poland, and Germany; he escaped to the English front in April of 1945 and was then flown to Oxford, England, where he was hospitalized for 7 weeks; his decorations include the American and European Theatre Ribbons, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Victory Medal, the Air Force Commendation, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm Medal, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Air Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Presidential Unit Citation; in late 1945, his bomb group, the 8th Air Force 445th Bomb Group, was awarded the American Order of the French Croix de Guerre by the country of France, only the third American bomb group ever so honored; and

WHEREAS, After the war, George Harlow attended the University of Illinois Extension in Chicago, while employed by the Wetzel and Turner Buick-Chevrolet Agency as a Service and Sales Administrative Assistant; he worked as a sales representative for the Johns Manville Friction Material Division of St. Louis, Missouri, covering the North-Central United States; he joined the Bank of Waukegan in 1967 and worked in every department of the bank, finally concentrating his efforts in the Commercial Lending and Trust Departments as the Senior Vice-President and Trust Officer; and

WHEREAS, George Harlow was a former member of the Waukegan Jaycees and the Waukegan Elks Lodge; he was a member of the Waukegan City Club, Ducks Unlimited, American Legion Post 281, Waukegan AMVETS, the Purple Heart Association, Navy League of the United States, the American Ex-Prisoners of War Association, the 8th Air Force Second Air Division Association, the 8th Air Force Historical Society, the 445th Bomb Group, the Caterpillar Parachute Club, and the Waukegan Yacht Club; he was a member of the Lake County Contractors Association, serving on the Board of Directors as Treasurer for 8 years and then serving on the Board of Governors as an Associate Representative; he was a member of the Glen Flora Country Club for 63 years, serving on the Board of Governors for 7 years, holding the Office of President in 1970 and serving on various committees for over 32 years; he was the writer-editor of the club newsletter known as The Caddy in the 1960s and 1970s and later the writer-editor of the country club newsletter known as The Communicator, which was distributed for many years; and

WHEREAS, George Harlow was preceded in death by his parents; and

WHEREAS, George Harlow is survived by Sandy, the love of his life, daughter Jody (Patrick) Rouse, Sue (Jeff) Martinson, Dan McLaughlin, David McLaughlin, grandchildren Derek McLaughlin, Joseph Rouse, Olivia Rouse and George Martinson; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of George L. Harlow, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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