SR0182 LRB094 12135 CSA 45492 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois
3 learned with sadness of the death of Fred A. Hillbruner of
4 Chicago on November 15, 2004; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Mr. Hillbruner was born January 18, 1946, in
6 Chicago, to Fred Sr. and Jean Hillbruner; he graduated in 1964
7 from Hyde Park High School; while in high school, he played the
8 flute in the school orchestra, was on the swim team, and took
9 classes at the Art Institute of Chicago; he attended Cornell
10 College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, receiving a bachelor's degree in
11 Art in 1969; he received a master's degree in Library Science
12 at Rosary College (now Dominican University) in 1978; and
 
13     WHEREAS, He married Barbara Giloth in 1977; they had two
14 children, Christopher and Elizabeth; the family shared a love
15 for international travel, food, and art; and
 
16     WHEREAS, In 1978, Mr. Hillbruner started work as the Art
17 Librarian at the School of the Art Institute's John M. Flaxman
18 Library, later becoming Head of Technical Services as well; he
19 remained at the Art Institute for 26 years; and
 
20     WHEREAS, At the Flaxman Library, he was in charge of
21 library systems, cataloguing, and acquisitions; he mentored
22 many new librarians and helped to guide student workers into
23 library or book-arts-related skills; during his time at the
24 School, he led the library from a card catalogue to an online
25 telnet catalogue and through three successive versions of web
26 accessible online catalogues; his foresight led to the Flaxman
27 Library's early membership in a number of state and national
28 library consortia; he also pioneered the cataloguing of
29 artists' books and was recognized internationally as a leader
30 in this field; he became an active member of the Art Libraries
31 Society of North America and its affiliate in the United

 

 

SR0182 - 2 - LRB094 12135 CSA 45492 r

1 Kingdom; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Mr. Hillbruner was a lifelong Chicagoan, an
3 artist, a bookbinder, an expert cook, a lover of jazz and WBEZ
4 puzzles, and an aficionado of Chicago history, architecture,
5 and WPA era murals; he sought to promote freedom of speech and
6 international peace through his support of the ACLU and the
7 Adopt-a-Minefield campaign; and
 
8     WHEREAS, He had a unique, quirky perspective on the world;
9 he was a highly visual person who loved the nuances of city
10 life, had a gentle humor about human foibles and fallibilities,
11 and understood the madness of the world; he was a wonderful
12 person - sweet, mischievous, and always greeting friends,
13 family, and strangers with openness and authentic caring; and
 
14     WHEREAS, He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his son and
15 daughter, Christopher and Elizabeth; his mother; his brother;
16 and several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
17     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
18 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we express our sorrow
19 upon the passing of Fred A. Hillbruner and extend to his
20 family, friends, and community our most heartfelt sympathy; and
21 be it further
 
22     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
23 presented to his family as an expression of our deepest
24 condolences.