SR0701LRB099 12951 MST 36811 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Charleston Mayor Larry Wayne Rennels, who
4passed away on June 25, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Mayor Rennels was born in Charleston on July 31,
61947 to Morris E. and Helen E. (nee Snyder) Rennels; he
7graduated from Charleston High School in 1965 and the Rose
8Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1969
9with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering; during his college
10years, he was a member of ROTC; he married Mary Ann Gibbons on
11August 24, 1968 in Mattoon; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Mayor Rennels was employed by Motorola, Inc.,
13designing and managing the design of pagers and 2-way radios;
14during his 11-year tenure with Motorola, he developed,
15designed, and was issued a patent; he held the position of
16Product Manager, International Communications Products; and
 
17    WHEREAS, In 1980, Mayor Rennels and his wife decided to
18return to Charleston and make it their permanent home; in 1987,
19he followed in his father's footsteps as owner of Rennels TV &
20Appliance and was committed to offering the same professional
21and reliable service; he operated the store until its closing
22in 2010; and
 

 

 

SR0701- 2 -LRB099 12951 MST 36811 r

1    WHEREAS, Mayor Rennels became actively involved in the
2Charleston community; in 1994, he was appointed Chairman of the
3City of Charleston Alcohol Task Force; in 1997, he was elected
4to the Charleston City Council; he was a member of the
5Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, serving
6as its President in 1998, and was named its Outstanding Citizen
7of the Year in 2004; he has also served on the Eastern Illinois
8University President's Cabinet and has been instrumental in
9fostering better relations with the university as a member of
10the EIU External Relations Committee; he was a member of the
11first class of the Citizen's Police Academy, a member of Coles
12County Crime Stoppers, and a member of the Hilltop Advisory
13Board; he was a member and past President of the Community
14Based Youth Service Board, which operated in 7 counties; he was
15previously a member of the Autism Society; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Mayor Rennels was elected Mayor of Charleston in
172013; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Mayor Rennels was a member of Immanuel Lutheran
19Church in Charleston, serving as a past member of the Board of
20Directors, as a member of the Board of Elders, as a member of
21the Properties Committee, and as past President of the
22congregation; he has also shared his technological expertise
23assisting with the operation of audio and video equipment and

 

 

SR0701- 3 -LRB099 12951 MST 36811 r

1imparting his knowledge to others; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Mayor Rennels was preceded in death by his parents
3and Mary Ann's parents, Frank and Mildred Gibbons; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Mayor Rennels is survived by his wife of 47 years,
5Mary Ann; their sons, David Rennels and Matthew and wife, Dr.
6Tasha Rennels; his sister, Marcia Cox and her husband, Mick;
7his niece, Emily (Bill) Kobler and their children, Addie and
8Callie; his nephew, Brandon (Staci) Cox and their children,
9Jackson and Griffin; his stepmother, Crystal Rennels; his aunt,
10Betty Snyder; and his brother-in-law, Dr. Thomas Gibbons;
11therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
14Charleston Mayor Larry Wayne Rennels, and extend our sincere
15condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
16him; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Mayor Rennels as an expression of
19our deepest sympathy.