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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of former Illinois Legislator John Carlton
4 Parkhurst "Parky", of Peoria, who passed away on October 17,
5 2009; and
 
6     WHEREAS, John Parkhurst was born July 14, 1920, in
7 Springfield, to Laird and Pauline Wiley Parkhurst; he married
8 Harriet Vance "Hattie" on Jan. 5, 1946, in Peoria; he graduated
9 in the famous Peoria "Central" High School class of 1938 and
10 was a 1942 graduate of Wabash College; and
 
11     WHEREAS, He served in World War II in the Army Air Forces
12 from 1942-1945, earning the Bronze Star; he graduated from the
13 University of Michigan Law School in 1948; and
 
14     WHEREAS, He served a decade on the Peoria County Board,
15 where he was chairman, and a decade in the Illinois
16 Legislature, where he was House Minority Whip, chairman of the
17 House Appropriations Committee, and co-chairman of a group of
18 legislators known as the "Economy Bloc"; he was elected in 1969
19 as a delegate to the Illinois Constitutional Convention, where
20 he was known as the "Con Con Tiger," served as chairman of the
21 Local Government Committee, and provided many words and
22 thoughts included in our State constitution; he will forever be

 

 

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1 remembered as the "Father of Home Rule," creating the powers of
2 local government later used by the City of Peoria to finance
3 the Peoria Civic Center; he also served as Assistant Illinois
4 Attorney General in charge of pollution prosecution and
5 consumer fraud from 1969-1972; and
 
6     WHEREAS, He retired from politics undefeated and returned
7 to Peoria to raise his family and pursue his legal career; he
8 practiced law in Peoria from 1948 to 1992, was a member of the
9 Illinois State and Peoria County Bar associations, and was a
10 co-founder of the law firm of Leiter, Newlin, Fraser, Parkhurst &
11 McCord; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Parky and Hattie were dedicated to serving the
13 City of Peoria and the community they loved; they received
14 numerous awards and recognition for their public service,
15 including the Fourth Annual Easter Seal Tribute; they were
16 supporters of arts and music, including Lakeview Museum and
17 Corn Stock Theatre; and he was a faithful servant and member of
18 First Federated Church; and
 
19     WHEREAS, He was preceded in death in 1996 by Harriet, the
20 love of his life and wife for 50 years; and
 
21     WHEREAS, John Parkhurst is survived by his six children,
22 Vance C. (Jeanne), Christina L. Pfanschmidt, John W.

 

 

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1 (Kristina), Peter L. (Jean), Nancy A. Hinnen (John), and Robert
2 C. (Jennifer); his 12 grandchildren; and his four
3 great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
4     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
5 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
6 his family and friends, the passing of John Parkhurst; and be
7 it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9 presented to the family of John Parkhurst as a symbol of our
10 sincere sympathy.