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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Thomas A. "Tom" Hernandez of
4Plainfield, who passed away on April 15, 2024; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Tom Hernandez was born to Danna and Anthony Paul
6Hernandez on January 16, 1966; he attended F.E. Marsh
7Elementary School, Gompers Junior High School, and Joliet East
8High School, and he graduated from Joliet Central High School
9in 1984; he received a Bachelor of Science from Lewis
10University in 1988; and
 
11    WHEREAS, For over 35 years, Tom Hernandez worked as a
12communications and marketing professional in a variety of
13areas, including traditional journalism, public relations,
14private-sector marketing, and public speaking; he was a
15regular correspondent for The Herald-News in Joliet from 1986
16to 1988, a reporter for The Beacon-News from 1988 to 1992, a
17reporter and editor for the Pioneer Press from 1992 to 1996,
18and a weekly columnist for the Plainfield Sun from 1998 to
192009; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Tom Hernandez then served as a communications
21specialist for the Illinois State Board of Education from 1996
22to 2001 and as director of community relations at St. Charles

 

 

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1Community Unit School District 303 from 2001 to 2006; he spent
2most of his career as director of community relations at
3Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, where
4he worked from 2006 to 2023; during his tenure, he managed and
5produced all internal and external communications for the
6fifth largest school district in Illinois, including all
7regular and crisis communications and special projects, and
8served as the district's media and community liaison; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Tom Hernandez was a highly sought-after emcee for
10many events, including a poetry anthology unveiling at the
11Plainfield Public Library District and District 202's CAPE
12Awards; he also served as a keynote speaker for the inaugural
13Nolan and Gloria McCants Scholarship program; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Tom Hernandez was a member of the former Great
15Read community literacy program and a founding member of the
16Plainfield School District 202 Foundation for Excellence; he
17was a past member of United Way of Will County, where he
18formerly served as secretary, treasurer, and board chair, and
19he also served in the Education Division and on the Program &
20Allocations Committee; he was also instrumental in creating
21United Way's 2-1-1 Will County, a free, multilingual, and
22confidential 24-hour information and referral service on
23health and human services in Will County; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Tom Hernandez was a member of the Illinois
2chapter of the National School Public Relations Association
3(NSPRA), and he was named a Distinguished Communicator in 2018
4and received an Award of Excellence in 2020 for D202 Talks: A
5Conversation with D202'S First Director of Digital Learning
6and Innovation; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Tom Hernandez was the co-leader of WriteOn
8Joliet, a welcoming, diverse group of writers of varied
9skills, interests, and experience, and he contributed to all
10eight anthologies the group produced; he also authored several
11books, including Chocolate Cows and Purple Cheese, and Other
12Tales from the Homefront in 2009, Abundance in 2012, The Edge
13of Middle - Thoughts from the Top of the Hill in 2017, The
14Acorn Wars in 2019, The Weekly Fruit and Vegetable Report in
152020, and Brothers: and Other Stories in 2021; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Tom Hernandez valued his faith and family above
17all else; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Tom Hernandez was preceded in death by his
19father; his uncle, Ray Hernandez; his grandparents, Charmaine
20Hurt, Epifanio Hernandez, and Felisa Hernandez; and his aunts,
21Eudella Asa, Elvira Ibarra, and Catherine Hernandez; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Tom Hernandez is survived by his wife of 34

 

 

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1years, Kellie (Madison) Hernandez; his daughters, Emma (Jake)
2Williams and Olivia (Tyler) Mueller; his granddaughter, Riley
3Williams; his mother, Danna (Robert Jensby) Hernandez; his
4brothers, Tim Hernandez and Paul (Kari) Hernandez; his
5parents-in-law, Jim Madison and Lynn Madison; his
6sister-in-law, Amy (Earl Amos) Madison; his aunt-in-law, Jeri
7Madison; his nieces and nephews, Alexandra, Francesca,
8Anthony, Mickinzie, Alexander, Alyse, Garrit, Emmitt, and
9Wyitt; and his nephew and godson, Ayden; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12Thomas A. "Tom" Hernandez and extend our sincere condolences
13to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be
14it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of Tom Hernandez as an expression of
17our deepest sympathy.