SR0228 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0228 LRB094 12439 HSS 46829 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of E. Lawrence "Larry" Young, Jr., of Wheaton on Saturday, April 23, 2005; and

WHEREAS, Born in Oak Park, he moved to Glen Ellyn in 1931, when his father started Young's Home Utilities, which sold items ranging from boilers to records; after he graduated from Glenbard West High School in 1946, he received a business degree from Grinnell College in Iowa; he then enlisted in the Air Force and served from 1951 to 1955 at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska; and

WHEREAS, When he returned, he joined the family business, which was then known as Freeze-Rite Locker; the store also provided butcher services and rented freezers; in 1966 the store flooded and was reopened a year later as Young's Appliances; in the late 1970s, his father left the business; Mr. Young recently renovated the store to keep up with big retailers; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Young was on the Glen Ellyn Village Board from 1978 to 1981 and started the process that brought cable television and Lake Michigan water to the village; as he watched local banks being swallowed up by larger firms in the 1980s, he developed a consortium of local investors to start Center Bank in Glen Ellyn, which focused on the community rather than the bottom line; and

WHEREAS, When Center Bank was bought by a larger bank, he vowed to start again and, with most of the original investors, formed Community Bank Wheaton/Glen Ellyn 10 years later with no shareholder owning more than 5 percent; the goal was to bring back relationship-oriented banking and involve the community; Mr. Young saw the need for specialized service, and the bank now has three branches, in Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, and Winfield; and

WHEREAS, The passing of E. Lawrence "Larry" Young, Jr., has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Virginia; his daughters, Kathryn Krolopp, Laura Samuels, and Joyce Stewart; his son, Doug; and his seven grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of E. Lawrence "Larry" Young, 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 his family as an expression of our deepest sympathy.