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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of O.C.
4 "Dixie" O'Hara of Woodstock, who passed away on October 2,
5 2009; and
 
6     WHEREAS, He was born July 6, 1918, in Princeton, Kentucky,
7 to Fred and Mildred (Martin) O'Hara; in 1937, he graduated from
8 Dixon High School, which is where he got the nickname, "Dixie";
9 he married Evelyn B. O'Hara (Eisenberg) on August 23, 1941; in
10 1942, he graduated from Northern Illinois State Teachers
11 College (now Northern Illinois University), where he earned
12 varsity letters in football; his son, daughter, son-in-law, and
13 a granddaughter and her husband, all graduated from Northern
14 Illinois University, which became a family meeting ground for
15 sporting events; he also received his master's degree in school
16 administration from the University of Illinois in 1949; and
 
17     WHEREAS, After serving in the United States Army, he
18 returned to teaching and coaching; he spent 29 years at
19 Woodstock High School, coaching six sports and serving as
20 athletic director, dean of boys, and assistant principal; he
21 left Woodstock High School in 1975 to be assistant regional
22 superintendent of schools for McHenry County; in 1983, he was
23 elected superintendent of schools for McHenry County until he

 

 

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1 retired in 1987; in 1988, he was elected to the McHenry County
2 Board, where he served for four years; at age 74, he became
3 Marian Central High School's golf coach until 1999; and
 
4     WHEREAS, On August 12, 2001, he married Josie Pace of
5 McHenry and had another eight years of love and companionship;
6 shortly thereafter, they moved to Sun City in Huntley; and
 
7     WHEREAS, His passion for golf was endless, serving as golf
8 coach at two high schools for more than 20 years; he was a
9 longtime member of Woodstock Country Club and was elected board
10 president in 1963; he also served as ranger/starter at Crystal
11 Woods, Marengo Ridge, and Whisper Creek golf courses; and
 
12     WHEREAS, He served as Republican precinct committeeman for
13 38 years, ran the McHenry County Republican Play Day for 37
14 years, and was inducted into the McHenry County Republican
15 Party Hall of Fame in 1998; he also was a member of the
16 Presidential Electoral College in 1980 and cast one of the 26
17 Illinois votes for Ronald Reagan; and
 
18     WHEREAS, He always was involved in community activities in
19 Woodstock; he was a past commander of the American Legion and
20 served as the American Legion Boy's State chairman of school
21 awards for 45 years, chairman of Elks youth activities for six
22 years, organized the Woodstock American Cancer Society in 1987,

 

 

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1 was a Youth Service Board member for three years, and was
2 involved in Woodstock Summer Recreation program, Cub Scouts,
3 and Little League; and
 
4     WHEREAS, His number one passion was the Woodstock Lions
5 Club; he was secretary for 37 years and also a past president;
6 he was the Lions Club Citizen of the Year in 1989 and earned
7 the International Lions Club Key Award, which is the club's
8 highest honor for recruiting new members, ranking him in the
9 top 25 in the world; after moving to Huntley, he was president
10 of the Sun City Lions Club; and
 
11     WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; his
12 sister, Carrie Jane; his brother, Jack; and his first wife,
13 Evelyn; and
 
14     WHEREAS, O.C. O'Hara is survived by his wife, Josie; his
15 daughter, Judith (Thomas) Dowling; his son, David (Joey)
16 O'Hara; his four granddaughters, Susan (David) Messmann, Megan
17 (Jim) Zemanek, Lauren (Tom) Jenrette, and Courtney O'Hara; his
18 four great-grandchildren, McKenzie, Landon, McKayla, and
19 McKenna; and several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
20     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
21 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
22 mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of O.C.

 

 

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1 O'Hara; and be it further
 
2     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
3 presented to the family of O.C. "Dixie" O'Hara as a symbol of
4 our sincere sympathy.