SR0507 LRB094 15033 AJO 50162 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois
3 learned with sadness of the death of Katherine M. Geissler, age
4 100 and a resident of Joliet since 1909, on October 24, 2005;
5 and
 
6     WHEREAS, She was born Katherine Guthrie in 1905 in
7 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to George W. Guthrie, a machinist, and
8 Catherine Guthrie, a seamstress before she married; when she
9 was 4, the family moved to Joliet, Illinois; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Katherine followed her 3 older brothers, George,
11 Leslie and John Guthrie to Joliet Township High School; in
12 1923, she, too, graduated from high school; after graduation,
13 Katherine worked in a secretarial pool at Joliet's large
14 greeting card company, PF Volland; a purchasing agent there,
15 Mr. Graham, recognized Katherine's good taste and her abilities
16 and sought her opinions about the most suitable papers, colors,
17 and textures for greeting cards; and
 
18     WHEREAS, In the 1930's, Mr. Graham decided to open his own
19 greeting card company in Chicago and he invited Katherine to
20 work in his new company, Card Craft; She agreed and soon,
21 Katherine was an executive and a part owner of Card Craft; and
 
22     WHEREAS, Katherine married Carl Rueben Medin in 1940;
23 unfortunately, 18 years later "Rueb" fell ill and died; around
24 this time, Katherine and Mr. Graham sold Card Craft; and
 
25     WHEREAS, About 10 years later, Katherine, who still lived
26 in the home that "Rueb" built on Taylor Street, married her
27 next-door neighbor, Walter Geissler, a widower; as Walter was
28 the chief executive at the Joliet Federal Savings and Loan
29 Association and Katherine's dear mother still resided in
30 Joliet, they remained in Joliet; and
 

 

 

SR0507 - 2 - LRB094 15033 AJO 50162 r

1     WHEREAS, Katherine remained close to her mother throughout
2 her life and cared for her until she passed away, only 15 days
3 short of her 100th birthday; Katherine cared for 4 of her loved
4 ones in their final years, her father, two husbands, and
5 mother; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Katherine was generous "Aunt Kate" and dearly
7 loved by her nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews;
8 and
 
9     WHEREAS, She was a member of St. Edward-Christ Episcopal
10 Church in Joliet; as a member of Childerguild, she worked at
11 the Silver Cross Hospital gift shop on Sundays to allow other
12 women to have time with their families; and
 
13     WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her first husband,
14 Carl R. Medin; second husband, Walter Geissler; parents, George
15 W. and Catherine Guthrie; and brothers, George, Leslie and John
16 Guthrie; and
 
17     WHEREAS, The passing of Katherine Geissler will be felt by
18 all who knew and loved her, especially by her nephews, George,
19 Dale and Reid Guthrie; niece, Marjorie Guthrie; numerous great
20 nieces and nephews; and cousin, Jane Hendricksen; therefore, be
21 it
 
22     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
23 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
24 Katherine M. Geissler, and we extend our sincerest condolences
25 to her family and friends; and be it further
 
26     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
27 presented to her family as an expression of our deepest
28 sympathy.