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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate Ann Kovalick of
4Yorkville on the occasion of her 100th birthday; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick was born in Hazelton, Pennsylvania
6on February 1, 1924; her father drove delivery wagons and
7worked in coal mines; her mother was a homemaker; at the time,
8they had no car, television, telephone, or indoor plumbing;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick graduated from Hazelton High School
11in 1942 and went to work in the Craft Factory making men's
12shirts; she worked there throughout World War II; after the
13war, she loved going dancing at big band and swing band
14concerts; eventually, she waved at a guy named Joe, and they
15subsequently married and moved to Illinois in 1947; they lived
16in Aurora for a time, but later they moved to a farm in
17Bristol; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick and her husband raised dairy cattle
19and farmed acres of corn and beans; later, they moved to Sugar
20Grove to another farm; she helped with everything on the farm
21and raised her three children, Barbara, Joe, and Ann; she also
22raised prize-winning pigs and had innumerable pets, including

 

 

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1dogs, cats, birds, foxes, and racoons; she also had several
2dachshunds; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick's parents later moved to Illinois,
4where they lived in an apartment on her farm; her dad worked at
5a factory in Aurora until he retired; they were well taken care
6of by the family until they passed; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick never learned how to drive; she
8relied on friends and family to take her places; she was a good
9cook and a wonderful baker; her pies won many ribbons at local
10fairs; everyone who visited was welcome at her table to enjoy
11some of her homemade goodies; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick and her husband were very active
13with the American Legion; they helped cook at legion
14functions; her husband served in several offices, and she was
15in the auxiliary; their youngest daughter was involved in all
16of the parades dressed in red, white, and blue; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick's husband worked for seed companies,
18and they were able to do a lot of traveling with the dealers;
19cruises were their favorite; they also toured Hawaii, and her
20favorite story from that trip was about the time she was
21leaving a pineapple plantation and her husband took off in the
22car without her; she also loved Las Vegas and playing the slot

 

 

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1machines; she visited Deadwood, South Dakota with her
2daughters and attended a motorcycle rally in Sturgis; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Ben's Giant Pumpkins was formed on Ann Kovalick's
4farm, and for many years, acres of pumpkins, squash, and
5Indian corn were grown; she sold pick your own pumpkins for the
6month of October and had many customers from all over the area;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick's husband, Joe, passed away in 2007
9during October; his loss is still felt, and her son now carries
10on the farming; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick's son lives on and runs the family
12farm; one of her daughters lives in Missouri, and the other
13daughter now resides in Texas; she is a proud grandmother of
14five and a great-grandmother of 10; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Ann Kovalick's worst enemy was arthritis; the old
16farm house with many stairs became too difficult for her to
17manage, so she now resides at Heritage Woods Assisted Living
18Center in Yorkville, where she is taken care of and has many
19friends; her family visits her and lights up her day; she now
20drives, but in a wheelchair, so everyone needs to look out; she
21is called an energizer bunny because she just keeps going;
22therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
2HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we congratulate Ann Kovalick on this historic occasion and
4wish her the best 100th birthday celebration; and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to Ann Kovalick as a symbol of our respect and
8esteem.