SR0433 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Gerald Sodaro of Mount Prospect on June 3, 2005; and

WHEREAS, He was born in Chicago on May 4, 1936; he graduated from Chicago schools and served honorably as a Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps; and

WHEREAS, His career in corporate management included positions as Director of Sales, Marketing, Exports, and Advertising; after early retirement in 1992, he devoted his remaining years to unpaid volunteer work with various non-profit organizations, primarily writing about and advocating for a variety of causes; among the issues he supported were U.S. sovereignty, immigration reform, smaller government, fiscal conservatism, lower taxes, capital punishment, and increasing medical research funding for prostate cancer; and

WHEREAS, In 1999, he wrote the legislation to allow a tax check-off donation on the State income tax form for prostate cancer research; he lobbied successfully for passage of the bill, which raised over $600,000 for research; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Gerald Sodaro has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Doris; his mother, Betty Sodaro; and his sister, Pat (Norman) Goone; he was blessed with many supportive friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Gerald Sodaro, and we 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 his family as an expression of our deepest sympathy.