HR0044 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0044 LRB102 10481 LAW 15810 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Kathy Murray on her retirement on December 31, 2020, after 20 years of dedicated service to the Illinois General Assembly and the House Democratic Caucus; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her career, Kathy Murray has gone out of her way to make those around her feel special while also tirelessly managing a wide variety of responsibilities; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray began her career with the Illinois House of Representatives in the House Transcription Office in 2001; after joining the House Democratic Issues Development Unit as a receptionist, she moved into the position of the office manager, a job she would hold for more than a decade; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray was typically one of the first to arrive in the office every morning and among the last to leave in the evening; she often began the workday before 7 a.m. by updating and distributing charts to track where hundreds of bills were in the legislative process, marking floor calendars for staff, monitoring the committee schedule, ensuring staff were prepared, tracking press releases sent on behalf of members, and much more; her day would often not end until all staff had left and their time cards had been processed; and

WHEREAS, Even while handling her many duties, Kathy Murray felt a responsibility for the health and well-being of everyone in her office, going above and beyond to care for staff; she coordinated lunch orders for the entire office on busy session days and ensured everyone had eaten; she put her own work on hold to help anyone who asked; she was known for meeting anyone who came to her desk with a question or concern with compassion first and then doing everything she could to help; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray had an instinctive understanding of what she could provide to support everyone in her office, whether it was words of encouragement, a reminder about an assignment, a friendly ear to listen, or a funny story; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray's adventures and stories entertained all who worked with her, and she often humorously imparted important lessons for developing young professionals; her stories of big moments in Illinois political history and smaller memories made in the office showed new staffers their role in the bigger picture, while her unique encounters with celebrities like Tom Petty and Hulk Hogan served as a reminder to always pursue a memorable life; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray made sure birthdays in the office were celebrated, often coordinating elaborate decorations and themes, and prepared delicious homemade cakes and snacks suited to a person's particular tastes; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray wrote and enthusiastically performed songs for the office that wished many departing staffers good luck, taught those new to the office how to transfer phone calls, and helped those who listened find joy in moments big and small; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray has worked with many House members over the course of 20 years, and she has supported, mentored, and helped the professional growth of hundreds of staffers throughout her tenure; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray's attention to detail and desire to bring joy to those around her is demonstrated in her legendary Oscar watch parties, which featured limousine rides for friends and neighbors, ball gowns, and awards for attendees; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray is the loving mother to Matthew, Brittney, Lisa, and Erica; she is a proud grandmother and a devoted dog mom; she loves traveling with family and finding new adventures; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray helped husband Vladimir Hlyvka pursue his Olympic dreams, cheering him on as he represented his native Ukraine as a ski jumper in the Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan in 1998 and Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray has been an extraordinary caretaker during her mother's senior years; even when work responsibilities required her to be in the office seven days a week, she has still taken time to enjoy Sunday breakfast with her mother and watch favorite movies together on repeat; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray is retiring to her native Tarpin Springs, Florida with her family, where she hopes to entertain many friends visiting from Illinois and plans to pursue her dream of being the Fairy Godmother at Disney World; and

WHEREAS, Kathy Murray's hard work and tireless commitment to those around her helped to make all the work of this chamber possible, and she will be fondly remembered by all to whom she has been a friend, a mentor, a caretaker, and a source of joy; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Kathy Murray on the occasion of her retirement, thank her for her many years of committed service to the Illinois General Assembly and the people of the State of Illinois, and wish her many happy and healthy retirement years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Kathy Murray as a symbol of our esteem and respect.