HR0383 LRB094 12210 HSS 45839 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the
3 State of Illinois learned with sadness of the death of Richard
4 W. "Rick" Larison Jr. of Rochester on Friday, April 29, 2005;
5 and
 
6     WHEREAS, He was born on August 8, 1950, in Springfield to
7 Richard W. and Corabelle Bea Larison Sr.; he married Gaye
8 Harper in 1987; he earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering
9 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a
10 Master of Public Administration from Fordham University in New
11 York; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Mr. Larison began on the House Republican staff as
13 a research analyst and later re-joined the staff of then House
14 Republican Leader Lee Daniels in 1982 as Research Director; he
15 was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff in 1987
16 and later served as Chief of Staff for Leader Daniels; as one
17 of the House Republican staff's pioneer research directors, he
18 helped create the operational model that the research staff
19 follows to this day, including the production of timely bill
20 analyses and end-of-session reports to inform House members of
21 key State issues and to enable them to cast informed votes on
22 the House floor; and
 
23     WHEREAS, He served in an executive capacity during the
24 installation of the first generation of electronic business
25 equipment in House Republican staff offices, which allowed the
26 electronic creation and dissemination of research materials
27 and bill analyses through computer-controlled word processors;
28 he oversaw the continuing education and transition of a large
29 segment of House Republican staff from clerk-typists to their
30 current role as executive assistants; throughout all of these
31 potentially traumatic changes, Mr. Larison served as a
32 generous, kind, jovial, and reassuring advocate for the

 

 

HR0383 - 2 - LRB094 12210 HSS 45839 r

1 interests of staff amid the conflict and challenges of
2 legislative work; and
 
3     WHEREAS, He went on to serve as a senior staffer for
4 Governor George Ryan, as a legislative liaison, as a lobbyist
5 for The School Reform Board, and as the Director of the Office
6 of Statewide Performance Review; he was voted into the
7 Legislative Staff Intern Hall of Fame in 2001; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The passing of Richard W. Larison Jr. has been
9 deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Gaye; his daughter,
10 Rachel Larison; his father, Richard; his sisters, Mary Kay
11 (husband, Jerry) Gifford, Bonnie (husband, Tom) Day, and Brenda
12 Larison; and his many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and
13 cousins; therefore, be it
 
14     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16 we mourn the passing of Richard W. "Rick" Larison Jr., and we
17 extend our deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and all who
18 knew and loved him; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20 presented to the family of Mr. Larison as an expression of our
21 sincerest condolences during their time of bereavement.