SR1038 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1038 LRB102 27478 LAW 39272 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of James Loren "Jim" Burrus of Arcadia, who passed away on April 22, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Jim Burrus was born to Loren W. "Pete" and Marie C. Bertolino Burrus in Jacksonville on January 11, 1950; he married Mary Bergschneider at the Church of Our Saviour in Jacksonville on July 12, 1969; he attended Lincoln Land Community College; and

WHEREAS, Jim Burrus was a lifelong farmer in the Arcadia area, where he raised corn and soybeans; he also raised organic, grass-fed Angus cattle and was a pioneer of Management Intensive Grazing in the area; he enjoyed mentoring farmers who wanted to get started in Intensive Grazing and was very willing to help them however he could; he hosted several farm walks on his farm as a way to inform farmers about his practices; and

WHEREAS, Jim Burrus, along with his wife, earned the Illinois Beef Association Environmental Steward of the Year Award in 2006, the Morgan County Conservation Farm Family of the Year in 2014, and the Illinois Department of Agriculture's Sustainable Agriculture Farmer of the Year Award in 2014; and

WHEREAS, Jim Burrus attended St. Mark's Catholic Church in Winchester; he held his private pilot's license and was a founding member of the Jacksonville Flying Club, and he loved flying whenever he could; he enjoyed having coffee with his friends in the morning and afternoon breaks at Klem's Hangar at the Jacksonville Airport; and

WHEREAS, Jim Burrus was preceded in death by his parents; and

WHEREAS, Jim Burrus is survived by his wife, Mary; his daughter, Heather (Don) Viele; his grandchildren, Jared Viele and Olivia Viele; his sister, Lou Ann (Ron) Sweatman; and his nieces, Gina Holtz and Angi Bobsin; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of James Loren "Jim" Burrus and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Jim Burrus as an expression of our deepest sympathy.