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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Nancy J. "Nonie" Froelich of Bloomington,
4who passed away on July 17, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Nancy Froelich was born in Bloomington to Oscar
6George and Catherine Karr Hoose on November 6, 1930; she
7married William E. Froelich Jr. on November 25, 1950; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Nancy Froelich was a licensed funeral director for
9over 50 years and was a strong support to her husband and
10Froelich Memorial Homes and Heritage Enterprises; disappointed
11that she did not complete her college degree, she returned to
12school at the age of 59 and received her bachelor's degree from
13Eastern Illinois University in 1989; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Nancy Froelich was active in many public service
15organizations, including the Gridley School Board, where she
16helped develop the Tri-County Special Education District; she
17served on various higher education boards, including the Board
18of Governors of State Colleges and Universities, where she was
19chairman from 1984 until 1989, the Illinois Board of Higher
20Education's Citizens' Advisory Board, the Board of Higher
21Education, the State University Retirement System Board, and
22the ISU Board of Trustees; she served on the McLean County

 

 

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1Board, where she served as board chair during the mid-1980s
2growth spurt and economic expansion of McLean County, and was
3instrumental in preserving the Old Courthouse, helping to
4transform it into the McLean County Museum of History; she
5served as secretary on the Museum's Board of Directors for many
6years and was a strong advocate for its growth; she served on
7the Board of the Mennonite College of Nursing and was a
8recipient of an honorary nursing degree for "her dedicated
9interest, support and understanding of the profession of
10nursing"; Mennonite School of Nursing said, "she was a builder,
11leader and role model for women in leadership"; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Nancy Froelich received many honors, including
13the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, the IWU Distinguished
14Alumni Business & Professional Woman of the Year Award, the
15Bloomington Rotary's Paul Harris Fellow Award, the State of
16Illinois Preservation Award, the ISU John Maitland Jr.
17Commitment to Education Award, and the McLean County Mayors'
18Association Person of the Year Award and was named as a History
19Maker by the McLean County Museum; she was twice elected as a
20delegate to the Republican National Convention; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Nancy Froelich was committed to her faith and to
22Christ Community of Gridley; she served as the moderator of the
23First United Church of Gridley from 1978 until 1982, when the
24Congregational and Methodist Churches merged and the new church

 

 

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1was built; she highly valued her relationships with those she
2served and her community in Gridley and McLean County; she was
3a builder and a leader who worked to make the community a place
4where people could come together to grow and to share in the
5benefits of a strong educational and working foundation; she
6had a deep love for her family and taught them many valuable
7lessons about life; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Nancy Froelich was preceded in death by her
9husband, William, and her son, William E. Froelich III; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Nancy Froelich is survived by her children, Susan
11(Paul) Laiming, Craig (Barbara) Froelich, and David (Kathy)
12Froelich; her grandchildren, Paul (Melissa) Laiming, Katie
13(Shannon) Bachelor, Will (Shauna) Froelich, Nicholas (Brandi)
14Froelich, Churchill and John Froelich, Alex, Abbey, and Gabe
15Froelich, and Jake and Matt Froelich; her great-grandchildren,
16Sam, Anna, and Grace Bachelor, Abi, Esther, Paul III, Tuke,
17Asher, Kias, and Cru Laiming, Lani May, William IV (Buddy)
18Froelich, Annabelle and River Froelich, and Jasmyn Froelich;
19her sister, Susan Jefferson; and her nephews, Paul and Tim
20Jefferson and Rush Holt Jr.; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
22ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
23Nancy J. "Nonie" Froelich and extend our sincere condolences to

 

 

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1her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
2further
 
3    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4presented to the family of Nancy Froelich as an expression of
5our deepest sympathy.