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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Burl
4Wayne Griffith, the former Mayor of Dieterich, who passed away
5on March 31, 2024; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith was born to Glen Dale and Lorene
7Griffith in Effingham on January 3, 1950; he lived in
8Dieterich his entire life; he graduated from Dieterich High
9School in 1968, where he was a member of the yearbook staff,
10the historian club, and the student council, played on the
11basketball and baseball teams, and ran track and cross
12country; he attended Lakeland College from 1968 to 1970; he
13received a bachelor's degree in political science with a minor
14in physical education from Southern Illinois University
15Edwardsville in 1972, where he was a scholarship athlete; he
16married Audrey Weiffenbach at the First Christian Church in
17Effingham on November 9, 1974, and they had three children,
18Trent Wayne, Ty, and Tori Lorene; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith worked as a substitute teacher in
20Effingham and Jasper Counties for two and a half years; he
21served as a transportation engineer at Ameren/CIPS in Newton
22and as a steward for Local 702 for many years; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith possessed extraordinary love and
2insight into the future for his community while serving as
3Mayor of Dieterich for two terms; during his tenure, he
4encouraged new businesses to come to Dieterich and helped
5establish North Pointe, a new, affordable subdivision targeted
6towards people with growing families; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith served as a school board member of
8Dieterich Community Unit School District 30 for many years; he
9was instrumental in helping the implementation of Spanish into
10the school curriculum, securing land to build a preschool for
11the district, and overseeing the completion of a large
12remodeling project; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith was an active member of his
14community, serving as a deacon at the First Christian Church
15in Dieterich, a precinct committeeman for several years, and a
16volunteer firefighter; he was also a member of the Winterrowd
17Masonic Lodge #664 in Dieterich and was a Shriner with the
18Ainad Temple; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith continued the legacy of his late
20mother by helping form and operate the Dieterich Park District
21while coaching Little League; in turn, he encouraged and
22instilled civic responsibilities in his children by making it
23a family project to assist with the building and maintenance

 

 

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1of the Dieterich Park District and Veterans Memorial; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith was a sports fan all of his life,
3and he often participated in pick-up basketball games on
4Saturday mornings with local talent; he played on a 45 and
5older men's basketball team until age 55, and his team, D-J's
6Party and Supply, became tournament champions; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith was one-of-a-kind and never met a
8stranger, and he would do anything for those in need without
9wanting credit; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith was preceded in death by his
11parents; his son, Trent Wayne Griffith; his sister, Betty Dale
12Klein; his brother-in-law, Rocky Bloemker; and his nephew,
13Brandon Weiffenbach; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Burl Griffith is survived by his wife of 49
15years, Audrey Griffith; his children, Ty (Bri) Griffith and
16Tori (Jeff) Amburn; his grandchildren, Charlotte, Sutton, and
17Alexander; his sister, Marsha (Hallie) Beals; his
18brothers-in-law, Bud (Fran) Klein and John F. (Cathy)
19Weiffenbach; his sister-in-law, Cleone Bloemker; and several
20nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE

 

 

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1HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
2we mourn the passing of Burl Wayne Griffith, the former Mayor
3of Dieterich, and extend our sincere condolences to his
4family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Burl Griffith as an expression of
8our deepest sympathy.