SR0562 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0562 LRB094 17110 HSS 52396 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Dorothy Ann (Little) Harshbarger of Peoria on Monday, January 2, 2006; and

WHEREAS, She was born on December, 23, 1915, in Oregon, Illinois, to Ralph and Lucy Shroeder Little; her mother preceded her in death in 1918; her father then married Grace Fruin Little; Dorothy married Charles W. Harshbarger on May 29, 1936, in Oregon, Illinois; he preceded her death on July 12, 1996; and

WHEREAS, She lived at her home in Peoria County for 62 years; she was a homemaker and a woman of strong character, great wisdom, many skills, and great compassion; she was a charter member of the First Church of the Brethren in Peoria, where she had served as a deaconess, secretary of the church board, and a member of the Dorcas Circle and the Senior Brunch Bunch; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Harshbarger was honored as the Peoria Area Mother of the Year in 1965 by the Peoria Downtown Progress Committee for her devotion to her family and her involvement in the community and in her church; and

WHEREAS, She helped start the hot lunch program in the early years of Monroe Grade School and served as secretary of Monroe's PTA; she was a mentor and role model for many new mothers; and

WHEREAS, Having seven children and many grandchildren attend Limestone Community High School, she and her husband were chosen as grand marshals of the Limestone Homecoming Parade in 1979, a thrill for them; and

WHEREAS, After many of their own children were grown, Dorothy and Charles also welcomed others to live with them, many of them students, both local and foreign exchange students; their home was a safe, nurturing place to stay; she was a great cook, especially fresh produce from the garden; whether cooking for her large family or large gatherings at church, school, or the Rural Peoria County Council on Aging, she did it with ease and helped with many fundraiser dinners; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Mrs. Harshbarger has been deeply felt by many, especially her sons, James D. (Marilyn) Harshbarger, Gerald W. (Sharon) Harshbarger, and Gene A. (Judy) Harshbarger; her daughters, Judy (Charles) Cunningham, Joyce (Melvin) Lauterbach, Joan (Kent) Nelson, and Jane (Dan) Boulton; her sister, Martha Warner; her brother, Richard Little; her 20 grandchildren; her 19 great-grandchildren; her great-great-grandchild; her many step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren, and step-great-great-grandchildren; and her nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dorothy Ann Harshbarger, and we extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

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