HR0383 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0383 LRB094 12210 HSS 45839 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois learned with sadness of the death of Richard W. "Rick" Larison Jr. of Rochester on Friday, April 29, 2005; and

WHEREAS, He was born on August 8, 1950, in Springfield to Richard W. and Corabelle Bea Larison Sr.; he married Gaye Harper in 1987; he earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Public Administration from Fordham University in New York; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Larison began on the House Republican staff as a research analyst and later re-joined the staff of then House Republican Leader Lee Daniels in 1982 as Research Director; he was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff in 1987 and later served as Chief of Staff for Leader Daniels; as one of the House Republican staff's pioneer research directors, he helped create the operational model that the research staff follows to this day, including the production of timely bill analyses and end-of-session reports to inform House members of key State issues and to enable them to cast informed votes on the House floor; and

WHEREAS, He served in an executive capacity during the installation of the first generation of electronic business equipment in House Republican staff offices, which allowed the electronic creation and dissemination of research materials and bill analyses through computer-controlled word processors; he oversaw the continuing education and transition of a large segment of House Republican staff from clerk-typists to their current role as executive assistants; throughout all of these potentially traumatic changes, Mr. Larison served as a generous, kind, jovial, and reassuring advocate for the interests of staff amid the conflict and challenges of legislative work; and

WHEREAS, He went on to serve as a senior staffer for Governor George Ryan, as a legislative liaison, as a lobbyist for The School Reform Board, and as the Director of the Office of Statewide Performance Review; he was voted into the Legislative Staff Intern Hall of Fame in 2001; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Richard W. Larison Jr. has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Gaye; his daughter, Rachel Larison; his father, Richard; his sisters, Mary Kay (husband, Jerry) Gifford, Bonnie (husband, Tom) Day, and Brenda Larison; and his many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Richard W. "Rick" Larison Jr., and we extend our deepest sympathy 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 Mr. Larison as an expression of our sincerest condolences during their time of bereavement.