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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Horace Theodore "Ted" Strode of
4Canton, who passed away on November 16, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ted Strode was born to Oral G. and Marguerite
6Herring Strode in Canton on January 19, 1932; he attended
7Canton High School, where he played second baseman and was
8inducted into the Canton Sports Hall of Fame; he married
9Martha Coultas at Shields Chapel United Methodist Church in
101954; he served in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed at
11Fort Sill, Oklahoma; he earned his bachelor's degree and
12master's degree from Western Illinois University; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Ted Strode was a school teacher and principal; he
14was always proud of the Lincoln and Eastview schools, where he
15was the opening principal; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Ted Strode was well known for his love of Canton
17and participated in numerous organizations, including the
18Friendship Festival Board where he served as president, the
19Fulton County Tourism Council, the United Way where he served
20as director, the Canton American Legion, the Masonic Lodge,
21the YMCA, the Wee-Ma-Tuk Country Club, the Fulton County
22Board, and the Spoon River Foundation Golf Outing Committee;

 

 

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1he also volunteered for the American Cancer Society's Relay
2for Life and the American Heart Association's Jump for Heart;
3alongside his wife, he was chosen as a parade marshal of the
4Friendship Festival in 2016; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ted Strode enjoyed participating in sports as a
6player, coach, and spectator in a wide range of activities,
7including jumping rope, track, baseball, basketball, golf,
8pickleball, and riding a stationary bike at the YMCA; he was a
9diehard Cubs fan, and he frequently attended Spring Training
10and multiple Cubs games each year with his wife; he attended 32
11Cubs conventions and was a member of the Peoria Cubs Boosters;
12he currently has his name on a paving brick outside Wrigley
13Field; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Ted Strode was a lifelong member of Shields
15Chapel United Methodist Church, where he served as a teacher,
16board member, class officer, mission team member, softball
17player, and coach; he was deeply committed to his faith,
18church, and church family; he will be sorely missed by his
19family, friends, church, and community; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Ted Strode is survived by his wife, Martha; his
21daughters and their spouses, Gayle (Doug) Strode Blodgett and
22Megan (Jeff) Strode Taylor; his grandchildren and their
23families, Carolyn Blodgett, Jolena Trone, Caleb Blodgett,

 

 

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1Catherine Blodgett, Griffin Blodgett, Case Blodgett, Brynna
2Blodgett, Siena Blodgett, Julian Taylor, Alaina Taylor,
3Lillian Taylor, Sydney Taylor Dole, Ryan Porter, and his
4namesake Teddy; his chosen grandson, Josh Knowles; his
5brother-in-law, Bill (Jane) Coultas; his sister-in-law, Nancy
6Reinertson; his many nieces and nephews; and his friends who
7became family, Cherrill and Marshall Morgan; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
9ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
10Horace Theodore "Ted" Strode and extend our sincere
11condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
12him; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14presented to the family of Ted Strode as an expression of our
15deepest sympathy.