SR0568 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0568 LRB094 17867 HSS 53169 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with sadness of the death of Nina Henkhaus Klinke of Bethalto, formerly of East Alton, on January 3, 2006; and

WHEREAS, She was born on September 16, 1914, in East Alton to William H. and Bertha (Ufert) Koehne; she married Kenneth Henkhaus on July 22, 1939, in Alton; he preceded her in death on August 21, 1950; she married Harold P. Klinke on August 30, 1980; he preceded her in death in March 1994; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Klinke was formerly employed with the Madison County judicial system as the administrator of the Jury Commission; she was a Wood River Township clerk for 16 years and was a licensed court reporter and key punch and tabulation statistician; she was the first woman to be elected as a Democratic precinct committeeman and was the first woman to serve on the Madison County Democratic Committee executive board; she served as secretary of the Wood River Democratic Committeeman organization for 20 years; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Klinke was the co-founder of the Bethalto Woman's Club, where she served as past president and secretary of the club; she was involved with the Madison County Federation of Women's Clubs, serving as treasurer for two years, and was a member of the Daughters of Isabella; she was appointed by the governor to serve for four years as secretary of the Southwest Exposition Authority at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to research the feasibility of erecting the Vadalabene Building; she also served as past president of the Epsilon Chapter and Delta Theta Tau Sorority; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Nina Henkhaus Klinke is felt by all who knew and loved her, especially her sons and daughter-in-law, John K. Henkhaus and Mick Henkhaus and his wife, Kim; her daughter, Jeanne H. Rhoads-Nelson, and her husband, Tom; her nine grandchildren; her 18 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews; and

WHEREAS, In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Eunice Kennedy and Wilma Coultas; therefore, be it

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

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