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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of former U.S. Representative Robert T.
4"Bobby" Schilling of Le Claire, Iowa, who passed away on April
56, 2021; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Rep. Schilling was born in Rock Island to Francis
7and Patricia (Kilgore) Schilling on January 23, 1964; he was
8raised in Rock Island; he graduated from Alleman Catholic High
9School, where he played football and was named homecoming
10king; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Rep. Schilling worked at MacMillan Bloedel
12Container Corporation of America, where he served as a union
13steward in the International Paperworkers Union; he then
14became an insurance agent and financial planner for Prudential
15Insurance, where he ranked 525 out of 10,000 agents and served
16as the treasurer of his local United Food and Commercial
17Workers Union; he started St. Giuseppe's Heavenly Pizza with
18his family in 1996, and 25 years later, the family is preparing
19to open their fourth location in Comanche, Iowa; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Rep. Schilling decided to make a long shot bid
21for U.S. Congress in Illinois' 17th District in 2009; despite
22the odds, he was successful in his campaign and defeated

 

 

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1Congressman Phil Hare by more than 10 points in 2010; he
2represented the 17th District in the 112th Congress from
3January 3, 2011 to January 3, 2013; and
 
4    WHEREAS, As a member of Congress, Rep. Schilling was
5willing to work across the aisle to meet the needs of his
6district; he prioritized the rebuilding of the I-74 bridge and
7even brought Secretary of Transportation under President
8Barack Obama, Ray LaHood, to inspect the bridge; he worked
9with Democratic colleagues to secure key provisions to help
10the Rock Island Arsenal in the National Defense Authorization
11Act; he also prioritized veterans by introducing legislation
12that expanded their health care access by allowing them to get
13care from any hospital in America, not just VA clinics, which
14eventually became law; he was passionate about the pre-born
15and supported every piece of pro-life legislation he could;
16and
 
17    WHEREAS, Rep. Schilling was deeply committed to his
18Catholic faith; he loved his family and dedicated his life to
19them; he showed love for his family through work and
20sacrifice, including building two homes from the ground up for
21his family; he enjoyed taking on challenges and proving his
22doubters wrong; he loved the United States and felt privileged
23to be an American; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Rep. Schilling was preceded in death by his
2parents; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Rep. Schilling is survived by his wife of 35
4years, Christie; his children, Terry (Katie), Aaron (Kiki),
5Levi (Amanda), Joe (Ashley), Isabel (Austin Ryan), Rachel
6(Kidd Causemaker), Olivia, Sam, Sophia, and Tony; his
7grandchildren, Grace, Reagan, Bobby, Max, Peter, Gianna, TJ,
8Daniel, Evelyn, Julia, Hank, Edward, Gus, and Ruth; his
9siblings, Richard, Michael, Dawn, and William; and three
10pre-born grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
13former U.S. Representative Robert T. "Bobby" Schilling and
14extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all
15who knew and loved him; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to the family of Rep. Schilling as an expression of
18our deepest sympathy.