SR0456LRB102 19302 LAW 28068 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Lester Eugene "Gene" Rubley of
4Springfield, who passed away on August 18, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Gene Rubley was born in Springfield to Lester J.
6and Aurelia Piper Rubley on July 18, 1930; he graduated from
7Feitshans High School in 1947; he attended Springfield
8College; he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War,
9where he attained the rank of sergeant first class and
10received the Good Conduct Award; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Gene Rubley worked as a cashier and the
12supervisor of invoicing for Allis Chalmers, which became Fiat
13Allis, until the business closed; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Gene Rubley was very involved in theater in
15Springfield and participated both as an actor and a volunteer
16in numerous plays and musicals; he held many leading and
17supporting roles, and his favorite role was King's Prime
18Minister in The King and I at the Springfield Municipal Opera
19(Muni) in 1971; he was in the television miniseries The
20Awakening Land with Hal Holbrook and Elizabeth Montgomery; he
21was a longtime trustee of the Muni, and the Lundgren/Rubley
22building, which is used for set construction at the MUNI site,

 

 

SR0456- 2 -LRB102 19302 LAW 28068 r

1was renamed in his honor; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Gene Rubley belonged to a number of organizations
3and served as the vice-president of the Springfield Area Arts
4Council and the Illinois Community Theatre Association, the
5secretary/treasurer of Lutheran Charities, a member of the
6Capitol Township Board of Auditors, the chairman of the
7Illinois Community Theatre Festival, and the president of
8Sangamon County Young Republicans; he served on the boards of
9the Springfield Theater Guild, the Illinois Theatre
10Association, the Great American People Show, and United
11Community Services; he was a member of the
12Artists-in-Residence Panel of the Illinois Arts Council; he
13was a guest lecturer on Community Arts Management at Sangamon
14State University; he received the Mayor's Award for the Arts
15in 1990; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Gene Rubley was a longtime member of Grace
17Lutheran Church, where he sang in the church choir for many
18years; in retirement, he volunteered at the Grace Food Pantry
19and as a docent at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum; in
20addition to theater, he always loved dogs, art, and travel; he
21was also known for his collections of nutcrackers and masks;
22he was affectionately referred to by his friends as "Uncle
23Gene"; and
 

 

 

SR0456- 3 -LRB102 19302 LAW 28068 r

1    WHEREAS, Gene Rubley was preceded in death by his parents;
2his brother, Jack K. Rubley; his sister, Joyce Lambert; his
3niece, Kay Ellen Rice Bell; and his stepfather, Clarence
4Christian; and
 
5    WHEREAS, At the time of his death, Gene Rubley was
6survived by his niece, Brenda Reid; his nephew, Robert
7Reynolds; his several great-nieces and great-nephews,
8including Kirsten Collison and Heather, Joshua, Rebecca, and
9Kevin Reid; his cousins, Jan (Rubley) Thies and Don Thannen;
10and his numerous friends; 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
13Lester Eugene "Gene" Rubley and extend our sincere condolences
14to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be
15it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to the family of Gene Rubley as an expression of our
18deepest sympathy.