SR0570 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0570 LRB094 17856 HSS 53158 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with sadness of the death of E. Richard Zitzman of Bethalto on January 3, 2006; and

WHEREAS, Born on July 12, 1924, in St. Louis, Mr. Zitzman was a son of Elmer W. Zitzman and Dolly Shearer-Gentry; he married the former Betty M. Garns in June 1949; she preceded him in death on January 4, 2001; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Zitzman valiantly served his country as a member of the U.S. Navy during World War II; he served on the USS Saturn in the Atlantic, where he participated in the supply of arms to the port of Murmansk, Russia, and in General Patton's invasion of Sicily, where he was a landing craft operator; he was later transferred to the aircraft carrier USS Suwannee and participated in most of the major Pacific Ocean conflicts, including the battle of the Philippine Sea and the Marianas Campaign; his last Navy adventure was participating in the Bikini atomic weapons testing in 1946; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Zitzman was formerly employed at McDonnell-Douglas as a machinist and was involved with the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo spacecraft; he retired in 1985 after 30 years of service; he was actively involved with the Lewis and Clark Community College Ham Radio Club and was a member of the Moro Presbyterian Church; and

WHEREAS, The passing of E. Richard Zitzman is felt by all who knew and loved him, especially his sons and daughters-in-law, Fred and Carolyn Tripp, Robert E. and Teresa Tripp, Roger E. and Terry Tripp, and David and Sharon Zitzman; his daughters and sons-in-law, Beverly and Ken Edelman, Sandra Hangsleben, Patricia "Lynn" and Paul Laughlin, and Robin Mugge; his 14 grandchildren; his many great-grandchildren; his many great-great-grandchildren; and his sisters, Patricia Nooner and Delores Doerr; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his wife, Mr. Zitzman was preceded in death by his parents; his grandsons, Robert Pyle, Shawn Tripp, and Jonathan Tripp; and his son-in-law, George E. Mugge; 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. Richard Zitzman and extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and community; and be it further

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