SR0507 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0507 LRB094 15033 AJO 50162 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with sadness of the death of Katherine M. Geissler, age 100 and a resident of Joliet since 1909, on October 24, 2005; and

WHEREAS, She was born Katherine Guthrie in 1905 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to George W. Guthrie, a machinist, and Catherine Guthrie, a seamstress before she married; when she was 4, the family moved to Joliet, Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Katherine followed her 3 older brothers, George, Leslie and John Guthrie to Joliet Township High School; in 1923, she, too, graduated from high school; after graduation, Katherine worked in a secretarial pool at Joliet's large greeting card company, PF Volland; a purchasing agent there, Mr. Graham, recognized Katherine's good taste and her abilities and sought her opinions about the most suitable papers, colors, and textures for greeting cards; and

WHEREAS, In the 1930's, Mr. Graham decided to open his own greeting card company in Chicago and he invited Katherine to work in his new company, Card Craft; She agreed and soon, Katherine was an executive and a part owner of Card Craft; and

WHEREAS, Katherine married Carl Rueben Medin in 1940; unfortunately, 18 years later "Rueb" fell ill and died; around this time, Katherine and Mr. Graham sold Card Craft; and

WHEREAS, About 10 years later, Katherine, who still lived in the home that "Rueb" built on Taylor Street, married her next-door neighbor, Walter Geissler, a widower; as Walter was the chief executive at the Joliet Federal Savings and Loan Association and Katherine's dear mother still resided in Joliet, they remained in Joliet; and

WHEREAS, Katherine remained close to her mother throughout her life and cared for her until she passed away, only 15 days short of her 100th birthday; Katherine cared for 4 of her loved ones in their final years, her father, two husbands, and mother; and

WHEREAS, Katherine was generous "Aunt Kate" and dearly loved by her nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews; and

WHEREAS, She was a member of St. Edward-Christ Episcopal Church in Joliet; as a member of Childerguild, she worked at the Silver Cross Hospital gift shop on Sundays to allow other women to have time with their families; and

WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her first husband, Carl R. Medin; second husband, Walter Geissler; parents, George W. and Catherine Guthrie; and brothers, George, Leslie and John Guthrie; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Katherine Geissler will be felt by all who knew and loved her, especially by her nephews, George, Dale and Reid Guthrie; niece, Marjorie Guthrie; numerous great nieces and nephews; and cousin, Jane Hendricksen; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Katherine M. Geissler, and we extend our sincerest condolences to her family and friends; and be it further

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