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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of James R. Rakow of Algonquin, who passed
4away on December 10, 2010; and
 
5    WHEREAS, James Rakow was born on December 15, 1928, in
6Elgin; his parents were Waldemar Alvin and Jeanette (Taylor)
7Rakow; and
 
8    WHEREAS, At an early age, James Rakow worked with his
9father in surveying business surveying roads in Kane, McHenry,
10and Lake Counties; in 1949, he graduated from Elgin High
11School; he then continued his education at Bradley University,
12where he graduated with a degree in engineering; and
 
13    WHEREAS, James Rakow served his country with pride and
14distinction as a member of the United States Navy aboard the
15USS Cunningham during the Korean War; he graduated from Officer
16Candidate School in 1953 with the rank of Lieutenant Junior
17Grade; in 1967, he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Naval
18Reserve as a lieutenant; and
 
19    WHEREAS, James Rakow was a partner with his father in WA
20Rakow Engineering & Surveying in Elgin for more than 15 years;
21he also worked for Baxter Woodmand in Crystal Lake; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, James Rakow served as the McHenry County
2Superintendent of Roads/Engineer for more than 24 years; during
3his tenure, he put in more than 11 years of legwork and played
4a vital role in procuring the right of way for the road
5connecting Route 31 with Randall Road, which was completed
6after he left the position; the road was named James R. Rakow
7Road in honor of his many contributions to its construction; he
8oversaw and planned the replacement of Pearl Street Bridge in
9McHenry, the Rawson Road Bridge, and many county bridges, which
10included widening of the pavement and shoulders; he was
11instrumental in the building of the Charles Miller Bridge in
12McHenry, having helped purchase the land and engineering the
13roads east and west of the new bridge; he was actively involved
14with local, township, and county agencies in the development,
15expansion, and improvement of numerous roads, including the
16Randall Road north/south corridor, the Algonquin Road
17widening, and the Northern Algonquin Bypass (now known as the
18Western Algonquin Bypass); he was responsible for the
19construction and maintenance of more than 200 miles of county
20roads; he worked diligently to reconfigure the Township Highway
21Commissioner operations; he promoted and aided in the
22development of the current McHenry County Zoning and
23Subdivision Ordinances; he also laid the groundwork for McHenry
24County Stormwater Ordinance and upgraded the Highway
25Department to meet the demands of the 21st century; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, James Rakow served as an adviser to and board
2member of CATS (Chicago Area Transit System) and was actively
3involved with numerous area engineering associations and
4societies; from 1993 to 2005, he was employed at SEC Group Inc.
5in McHenry; and
 
6    WHEREAS, James Rakow was very active with the Elgin YMCA in
7his younger years; he enjoyed playing racquetball and handball,
8golfing, boating, crossword puzzles, the Chicago Bears, and the
9Chicago Cubs; he also enjoyed traveling with his wife in the
10British Virgin Islands on various sailing vessels; and
 
11    WHEREAS, James Rakow was preceded in death by his parents;
12his stepmother, Lois Rakow Graning; his son, Steven Rakow; and
13his grandson, Alex Grossman; and
 
14    WHEREAS, James Rakow is survived by his best friend and
15loving wife, Phyllis K. Walters; his loving children, Diane
16(Charles) Griffin, Ansley Webster, Andrea Walters, and Anthony
17(Sheri) Walters; his cherished grandchildren, Luke, Jessica,
18and Rebecca Grossman, Jennifer (Michael) Tramantana, April
19Molenda, Laurin Adeniran, Abigail Lindahl, and Ashley,
20Benjamin, and Cole Walters; his treasured great-grandchildren,
21Len Molenda-Nichols and Destiny Molenda-Nichols; his sister,
22Ruth Ann Rakow Crandall; his brother-in-law, Chris Kobel; and

 

 

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1his sister-in-law, Marie Holtz; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
3ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
4his family and friends, the passing of James R. Rakow; and be
5it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of James Rakow as an expression of our
8sympathy.