SR0636 LRB095 20589 GRL 48606 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of Max Stewart of Raymond, who passed away
4 on March 24, 2008; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Max Stewart was born on March 5, 1941 in Girard;
6 his parents were Henry and Ruth Bethard Stewart; he married
7 Karen Sue Wilton on January 8, 1960 in Hannibal, Missouri; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Max Stewart graduated from Raymond High School in
9 1959; after graduation, he attended Brown's Business College in
10 Springfield and went to work at The State Journal-Register,
11 where he worked for several years; he also attended
12 auctioneering school in Colorado and established the Auction
13 House in Farmersville; he then worked at Timmerman's in
14 Litchfield and John Deere in Nokomis before moving his family
15 to Florissant, Missouri, where he worked many years for the
16 Globe Democrat and later the St. Louis Post Dispatch; he also
17 wrote sporting columns for the nationally acclaimed Sporting
18 News magazine and was a tax preparer for H&R Block during tax
19 season; and
 
20     WHEREAS, After moving back to central Illinois in 1977, Max
21 Stewart and his wife operated the Montgomery Ward catalog store
22 in Carlinville for several years; from 1981 to 1985, he worked

 

 

SR0636 - 2 - LRB095 20589 GRL 48606 r

1 as the farm broadcaster at the WSMI radio station, where he
2 created the "Auction Time" show, which still airs to this day;
3 he was also a leader in establishing the Montgomery County
4 Fair; and
 
5     WHEREAS, After his stint at WSMI, Max Stewart became a farm
6 broadcaster for KMOX and KXOK radio in St. Louis, finishing his
7 radio career on the Sun Radio Network; he then entered the
8 business of real estate and eventually opened his own agency,
9 Panhandle Realty in Raymond, where he was the owner and broker;
10 around the same time, he and his wife established Panhandle
11 Charity Tours, with proceeds from the Branson trips going to
12 many local causes; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Max Stewart was an avid sports fan who enjoyed
14 both the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues; he also
15 served as a referee for high school basketball games for 18
16 years; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Max Stewart was a member of Pleasant Hill
18 Christian Church in Raymond and the Illinois Association of
19 Realtors; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Max Stewart enjoyed fishing and watching his
21 grandchildren participate in a variety of sports; and
 

 

 

SR0636 - 3 - LRB095 20589 GRL 48606 r

1     WHEREAS, Max Stewart was preceded in death by his parents;
2 his sister, Judy Lee; his sister's husband, Max Lee; and his
3 nephew, Andy Leach; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Max Stewart is survived by his wife, Karen; his
5 sons, Todd (Mary) Stewart, Randy Stewart, and Brett (DiLynn)
6 Stewart; his daughters, Keri (Bill) Krager and Jennifer (Joe)
7 Black; his grandchildren, Mathew Konneker, Josh, Randall,
8 Steven, Nathan, and Kevin Stewart, Jordan Black, Austin Hemken,
9 Tiffany and Taylor Krager, Rachel Armbruster, and Miranda
10 Eccher; his great-grandchildren, Christian and Kyra Konneker,
11 Gabe Stewart, and Zanden Lilly; his sister, Lois (Loren)
12 Guthals; and his father-in-law, Russell Wilton; therefore, be
13 it
 
14     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
15 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
16 his family and friends, the passing of Max Stewart; and be it
17 further
 
18     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19 presented to the family of Max Stewart as an expression of our
20 sympathy.