HR0616LRB098 14434 GRL 49120 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Diane E.
4Wilkins, who passed away on October 12, 2013; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Diane Wilkins was born on December 22, 1946 in
6Aurora; her parents were Alvin Ray and Dorothy Evelyn (nee
7Hill) Niswander; she married Ted Wilkins on April 14, 1984 at
8Paulton Church of God; she attended school in Aurora and was a
9graduate of Aurora High School; and
 
10    WHEREAS, During the Vietnam War, Diane Wilkins served her
11country by enlisting with the United States Army, where she
12worked as a surgical assistant in plastic surgery until her
13honorable discharge; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Diane Wilkins was a member of Marion Elks Club
15Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks No. 800 and was made an
16honorary member of Marion VFW Heyde-Pillow Post 1301; she was
17also an honorary member of many other civic organizations; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Diane Wilkins was employed with the United States
19Postal Service as a rural mail carrier for many years; in the
20early 1990s, she began working for The Daily Republican
21newspaper in Marion as an inserter; she later became one of its

 

 

HR0616- 2 -LRB098 14434 GRL 49120 r

1news reporters, a position she thoroughly enjoyed until her
2retirement in 2009; she met and spoke with many famous people
3during her career, including Presidents Ronald Reagan, George
4H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, and Lady
5Antebellum; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Diane Wilkins enjoyed watching the news, spending
7time with her cats, and playing bingo; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Diane Wilkins was preceded in death by her parents
9and her husband, Ted Wilkins; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Diane Wilkins is survived by her daughter and
11son-in-law, Jennifer L. and Darrell Calhoun; her son, Brian
12Rendleman; her 6 grandchildren; her beloved cat, Smokey; and
13her other extended family members and friends; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16we, along with her family and friends, mourn the passing of
17Diane E. Wilkins; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19presented to the family of Diane Wilkins as an expression of
20our sympathy.