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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of John Peter Croke Sr. of Springfield,
4who passed away on January 12, 2024; and
 
5    WHEREAS, John Croke was born to John and Marcella Croke in
6Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 5, 1946; he was profoundly Deaf
7since birth; he was raised in Shorewood, Wisconsin, where he
8excelled in sports, became an Eagle Scout, and received the
9American Legion Award during his senior year at Shorewood High
10School; he attended the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
11for two years before transferring to the Rochester Institute
12of Technology in New York, becoming was one of the school's
13first Deaf students and earning a Bachelor of Science in
14Mechanical Engineering Technology in 1972; he married Jo Ann
15Maria Savage in 1973, and they raised two hearing sons in
16Wheeling, Illinois; and
 
17    WHEREAS, John Croke worked briefly at Bell & Howell,
18Western Electric, and elsewhere before being hired by Illinois
19Bell, known today as AT&T, in 1990, where he completed
20planning, drafting, and engineering duties until his
21retirement in 2012; and
 
22    WHEREAS, John Croke was civically engaged, circulating

 

 

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1petitions door-to-door and contributing to social and
2political causes and candidates he believed in; and
 
3    WHEREAS, John Croke enjoyed traveling, especially his
4visit to Italy during a Deaf Catholic tour in 2014, where he
5saw Pope Francis, and a trip to Hawaii with his son's family in
62016; he also enjoyed participating in softball and bowling
7leagues with his Deaf friends; he was an avid fan of the
8Milwaukee Braves, now known as the Milwaukee Brewers, and also
9cheered for the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Cubs, the
10Chicago White Sox, the Chicago Bears, and the Chicago Bulls;
11and
 
12    WHEREAS, John Croke was a devoted and loyal husband,
13father, grandfather, and friend; he enthusiastically supported
14his sons' academic, extracurricular, professional, and
15personal interests; he adored his four grandchildren, teaching
16them American Sign Language and attending their athletic,
17artistic, and school events as often as possible; and
 
18    WHEREAS, John Croke was preceded in death by his wife; and
 
19    WHEREAS, John Croke is survived by his sister, Marcella
20(Stu) Mathias; his sons, Peter (Ellen) Croke and Ryan (Brook)
21Croke; his grandchildren, Jonas, Henry, Annie, and Oliver; and
22many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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