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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the General Assembly of the State
3 of Illinois were deeply saddened to learn of the death in Iraq
4 of Petty Officer 1st Class Jerry Allen Tharp of Aledo on
5 Wednesday, July 12, 2006; and
 
6     WHEREAS, He was born on August 14, 1961, in Muscatine,
7 Iowa, to Lyle H. and Donna L. (Matthews) Tharp; after being
8 together for 16 years, he was united in marriage to Gayle
9 (Christie) Pritchett on December 31, 2005; and
 
10     WHEREAS, He was an operating engineer out of Local 150; he
11 worked the last six years for Williams Brothers Construction in
12 Peoria; he was deployed to Iraq in January of 2006; and
 
13     WHEREAS, He had more than 18 years in the military; he
14 enlisted in the Army in 1978; he also served in both the Army
15 Reserves and Navy Reserves; he was in Iraq with Naval Mobile
16 Construction Battalion 25 out of Rock Island; and
 
17     WHEREAS, He was promoted on June 16 to Builder First Class
18 Petty Officer (Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist); he received
19 the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Naval Reserve
20 Meritorious Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and
21 the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; he was proud to
22 serve his country and proud of his military career; he served
23 in the military to keep people safe, especially his family, to
24 whom he is a hero; and
 
25     WHEREAS, He had many interests; he enjoyed going to the
26 cabin, hunting, fishing, camping, and scuba diving; and
 
27     WHEREAS, The passing of Jerry Allen Tharp has been deeply
28 felt by many, especially by his wife, Gayle Tharp; his
29 stepdaughters, Carrie (Joey) Ham and Heather Pritchett (Jay

 

 

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1 Townsend); his step grandchildren, Tristan Ham, Parker
2 Townsend, Trace Ham, and Paige Townsend; his mother, Donna
3 Tharp; his sisters, Linda (Dan) Artus and Karen Louck (Mike
4 Grissom); his brothers, Lyle "Ed" (Julie) Tharp, Rick (Gillian)
5 Tharp, and John (Cathy) Tharp; and several nieces and nephews;
6 he was preceded in death by his father, Lyle Tharp, and his
7 grandparents, Kenneth and Eva Tharp; therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
10 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we mourn the passing of Petty
11 Officer 1st Class Jerry Allen Tharp, and we extend our deepest
12 sympathy to this family, friends, and all who knew and loved
13 him; and be it further
 
14     RESOLVED, That we honor the memory of Petty Officer 1st
15 Class Tharp and his willingness to serve our country, which led
16 to him making the ultimate sacrifice; and be it further
 
17     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18 presented to his family as an expression of our sincerest
19 condolences.