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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of William "Bill" Richard Schnirring of
4Springfield, who passed away on January 26, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring was born to William Robert and
6Marion Vernor Schnirring in Springfield on March 1, 1929; he
7attended Springfield Public Schools, and in his youth, he was
8an active member of Boy Scout Troop #7; he graduated from
9Springfield High School in 1946; he met his future wife, Mary
10Traylor Schnirring, in the third grade while attending
11Hay-Edwards Elementary School; they were married on September
1230, 1950; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring attended the University of
14Illinois and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business in
151950; he was a member and president of the Alpha Tau Omega
16Fraternity; following his graduation, he served as a first
17lieutenant in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict
18from 1951 to 1952 and was stationed in Thule, Greenland; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring was Chairman Emeritus of
20Springfield Electric Supply Company; his formal career there
21began in 1952 when he joined the family-owned business, which
22was started by his father, William Robert Schnirring; working

 

 

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1beside his father was one of the highlights of his career; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring served the electrical
3distribution industry in several key roles over the years,
4culminating with a term as chairman of the National Association
5of Electrical Distributors in 1979-1980; he was later
6recognized as one of the recipients of the industry's highest
7national individual honors, the Arthur W. Hooper Award; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring's love for his community led to
9his efforts to improve life in Springfield; he was recognized
10nationally in 1989 as an outstanding volunteer fundraiser and
11again in 1994 as Outstanding Philanthropist by the National
12Society of Fundraising Executives; in 1998, he was honored with
13the Sertoma Service to Mankind Award; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring was active on many boards and
15committees over the years; his past business and industry work
16included service on the boards of First National Bank (U.S.
17Bank) and Springfield Credit Bureau and serving as board
18chairman of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, the
19Industrial Development Council of Springfield and Sangamon
20County, the Memorial Medical Center Foundation, and the
21Memorial Medical Center Board; he served on the Illinois State
22Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and helped craft
23recommendations for legislative and administrative action as a

 

 

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1participant in a White House Small Business Conference; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring served many civic, service, and
3educational organizations; he served as a trustee of Blackburn
4College, director of the American Business Club, a board member
5and campaign chairman of the United Way of Central Illinois, a
6board member and capitol campaign chairman for Contact
7Ministries, a board member of the Vachel Lindsay Home
8Association, a member of the Dean's Business Advisory Council
9at the University of Illinois at Champaign, and a member of the
10Chancellor's Advisory Council at the University of
11Illinois-Springfield; he helped to foster the development and
12growth of small businesses in central Illinois by serving as a
13counselor for the Springfield chapter of SCORE; he was also a
14member of the Springfield Parks Foundation, the Springfield Art
15Association, Illini Country Club, and the Sangamo Club; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring was an elder at Westminster
17Presbyterian Church; he was also a member of the Scottish Rite,
18the Red Cross of Constantine, the Royal Order of the Jesters,
19and a past Potentate of the Ansar Shrine; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring received a number of honors,
21including the Copley Press First Citizen of Springfield Award
22in 1989 and the Lincoln Academy of Illinois Order of Lincoln in
232012, the State's highest award; he was inducted into the

 

 

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1Springfield High School Hall of Fame in 2013, and the
2auditorium at Springfield High School is named in honor of Bill
3Schnirring and his wife, Mary Schnirring, for their support of
4the school throughout the years; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring had a wonderful sense of humor and
6loved being around people; he was personable and gracious to
7all he met and was a natural leader and mentor to many
8throughout his life; he always looked for ways to help others
9and touched many lives with his generous spirit; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring enjoyed traveling and spending
11winters in Naples, Florida with his wife, Mary; he especially
12loved time spent on the Schnirring Farm where he would garden,
13host parties, and ride his John Deere gator; he was an avid fan
14of the University of Illinois and Springfield High School; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring was preceded in death by his
16parents, William Robert and Marion Vernor Schnirring, and his
17beloved wife, Mary Schnirring, who preceded him in death on
18January 12, 2020; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Bill Schnirring is survived by his two daughters,
20Kathy (Randy) Germeraad and Carolyn (Dan) Dungan; four
21grandchildren, Scott (Colleen) Germeraad, Carrie (Nick)
22Walden, Caitlin (Mark) Simhauser, and Colin Dungan; his five

 

 

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1great-grandchildren, Declan Germeraad, Merrin Germeraad,
2Verity Germeraad, Isla Germeraad, and Nora Simhauser; his
3sister, Marilyn Kennedy; his nephews, Robert and John Kennedy;
4his niece, Janice Kennedy Singer; his friend, Don Martin; and
5all of his colleagues at Springfield Electric; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
8William "Bill" Richard Schnirring and extend our sincere
9condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
10him; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the family of Bill Schnirring as an expression of
13our deepest sympathy.