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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Charles W. "Bill" King of Edwardsville,
4who passed away on August 5, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Bill King was born in Mt. Carmel on September 27,
61934 to Dorothy (nee Steckler) and Charles Grover King; he
7spent the first years of his life on his maternal grandparents'
8farm and then moved with his parents during the World War II
9years to Nashville, Tennessee; he graduated from Father Ryan
10High School in Nashville and was then admitted to the
11University of Notre Dame; he married Jean Marie Kendrick on
12January 8, 1966 at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Normandy,
13Missouri; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Bill King held many jobs in Nashville, including
15working as a laborer-assistant "dynamite man", blasting rock
16for sewer construction, and selling souvenirs at the Grand Ole
17Opry, then held in the Ryman Auditorium, seeing all the great
18performers of that era and once performing as Tom Sawyer in a
19playhouse production with the late Mrs. Sarah Cannon, widely
20known as "Minnie Pearl"; at Notre Dame, he was the Wing
21Commander of the 300 Unit Air Force ROTC and received an award
22from the American Legion; he worked his way through Notre Dame,
23primarily as a promotional writer and member of the production

 

 

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1crew at the CBS-TV affiliate in South Bend, WSBT-TV; and
 
2    WHEREAS, After graduation from Notre Dame in 1956, Bill
3King entered flight school in the United States Air Force,
4graduating from single engine jet pilot training at Webb AFB,
5Texas in 1957; he was then stationed in Germany, where he flew
6multiple non-combat missions to all the NATO countries and
7travelled widely in Europe; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Upon his discharge from the Air Force, Bill King
9worked in St. Louis and then enrolled in St. Louis University
10Law School, graduating in 1963; he first became a partner in
11the law firm of Burroughs, Simpson & King in Edwardsville,
12which later became the firm of Hepler Broom; he went into
13private practice in 1970, and during his career, he tried over
14100 jury cases, representing a diversity of clients, including
15individuals, physicians, insurance companies, and major
16corporations; always generous with his time, he often did
17pro-bono work for his friends, family, and people that fully
18intended to pay him later; he was also an Assistant Illinois
19Attorney General and the Edwardsville City Attorney under 4
20successive mayors; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Bill King's additional community leadership
22included contributions as Chairman of the Edwardsville Zoning
23Board, as President and Board Member of the Edwardsville YMCA,

 

 

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1and as host of the "Legal Line" local radio program for 10
2years; he served with several churches and civic groups; though
3his accomplishments were many, he was most proud of his family;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, Bill King and his family travelled to all of the
6lower 48 contiguous states and most of the Canadian provinces,
7often with a canoe that he built from a kit strapped
8precariously to the roof of their car; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Bill King was preceded in death by his parents; an
10infant grandson, Mathew Thomas Arnold; and his sister-in-law,
11Joan (Kendrick) Pope; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Bill King is survived by his wife, Jean; his 3
13children, Catherine D. Arnold, Daniel W. King (Suzy Beagen),
14and Patrick J. King; his 9 grandchildren, Catherine's children,
15Christopher, John-Patrick, and Cate Arnold; Daniel's children,
16Katrina, Charlie, Brian, and Colleen King; and Patrick's
17children, Iris and Rowan King; his sister, M. Suzanne Bires
18(Jerry); his sisters-in-law, Mary Ann, Jane, and Cheri
19Kendrick; his brothers-in-law, John and Dan Kendrick and David
20Pope; his former son-in-law, Rick Arnold; and many dear nieces
21and nephews; therefore, be it
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL

 

 

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1ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
2Charles W. "Bill" King, and extend our sincere condolences to
3his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
4further
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6presented to the family of Bill King as an expression of our
7deepest sympathy.