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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Henry Dale Smith, Sr. of Springfield, who
4passed away on September 19, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Henry Smith, Sr. was born in Asheville, North
6Carolina on August 1, 1928 to James Matthew and Ethel Rickbiel
7Smith; he began his education at The Citadel in June of 1944,
8where he earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry; he then
9earned a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from the University of
10North Carolina at Chapel Hill; he married Betty Mood on June
1128, 1950 in Columbia, South Carolina; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Henry Smith, Sr. relocated his family to
13Springfield and founded H. D. Smith Wholesale Drug Co. in
14January of 1954; he grew the company from 4 associates in the
15Springfield area to 1,100 nationwide; he served as Chief
16Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors and,
17most recently, served as its Chairman Emeritus; his company is
18now the fourth-largest pharmaceutical wholesaler in the
19nation; he also served as Vice-President of Smith Drug in
20Spartanburg, South Carolina and subsequently as chairman and
21CEO of J.M. Smith Corporation upon the death of his brother; he
22served in that capacity for 13 years and then continued his
23service as a director of the company, retiring from the board

 

 

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1as its longest serving member; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Henry Smith, Sr. served as an active member of the
3National Wholesale Druggists Association; he received the
4Healthcare Distribution Management Association's Nexus Award
5for Lifetime Achievement in 2003 for his contributions to the
6industry; he was inducted into The Citadel School of Business
7Hall of Fame in 2011; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Henry Smith, Sr. was active in the Springfield
9community as a volunteer and philanthropist and an avid
10University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign supporter; the
11Betty Mood Smith Rockery rock garden, located in Springfield's
12Washington Park, was a gift to his wife, celebrating her love
13of gardening; he was a Rotary Club member for more than 40
14years; he also served as a deacon, elder, and trustee at
15Westminster Presbyterian Church during his 60 years of
16membership; he was an avid Fighting Illini sports fan and a fan
17of the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Bears; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Henry Smith, Sr. was preceded in death by his
19parents; his sister, Beverly Smith Moss; and his brother, James
20Matthew Smith, Jr.; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Henry Smith, Sr. is survived by his wife, Betty;
22his 4 sons, Henry Dale (Deborah Klang) Smith, Jr., Rogers Mood

 

 

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1(Mary Summers) Smith, J. Christopher (Debra Nickelson) Smith,
2and Andrew (Joyce) Smith; his grandchildren, Virginia (Dan
3Upham) Sole-Smith, Chandler (Eric Taxier) Klang Smith,
4Elizabeth Smith, Caroline Summers Smith, Lacy Smith,
5Callandria Nickelson Smith, Rogers Reed Summers Smith, and
6Spencer Nickelson Smith; his great-granddaughter, Violet
7Upham-Smith; and several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
9ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
10Henry Dale Smith, Sr., and extend our sincere condolences to
11his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
12further
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14presented to the family of Henry Smith, Sr. as an expression of
15our deepest sympathy.