SR0816 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0816 LRB094 21384 HSS 59737 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Warren Billhartz of Collinsville on Monday, August 21, 2006; and

WHEREAS, He was born on January 3, 1927, in Centralia; he attended public schools in New Baden before joining the U.S. Merchant Marines as a crew member; and

WHEREAS, A veteran of two dozen crossings of the North Atlantic, at age twenty, he received his U.S. Coast Guard certificate of registry as a staff officer; he also holds the Atlantic War Zone bar; and

WHEREAS, He later returned to school and graduated from Illinois College and Washington University Law School; during law school and for three years after his graduation, he was associated with the law firm of Johnson & Johnson in Belleville; he was a licensed attorney in Illinois and Missouri; and

WHEREAS, A former Assistant Attorney General of the State of Illinois, Mr. Billhartz was elected to three consecutive terms in the Illinois General Assembly as Representative from the old 42nd and 55th districts; he served in the Illinois House until 1960, when he did not seek re-election; and

WHEREAS, He was a charter member and first president of the Clinton County Board of School Trustees; he was a second generation banker and had been in banking since 1954; for 21 years, he was with First National Bank of Collinsville, as President and then Chairman; he was Chairman and principal stockholder of that bank when it was bought by United Missouri Bank in 1987; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Billhartz was the Founder, Chairman, and principal stockholder of FCB Banks; his generous donations and gifts were responsible for the O.W. Billhartz Civic Center in New Baden, Lehrter Community Park in Albers, the statue at the Police Station, and the future home of the Billhartz Animal Shelter in Collinsville, as well as the Illinois College Student Investment Fund; many other charitable organizations benefited from his anonymous donations; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Warren Billhartz has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Marcia Anne, nee Allan, Billhartz, whom he married September 28, 1979, in Kaui, Hawaii; his son, Ward (Chris) Billhartz; his daughters, Jan Billhartz, Jean T. Billhartz, and Susan Zavaglia; his sister, Eileen (Olin) Hoffmann; his grandchildren, Garrett, Shane, and Jordan Zavaglia, Taylor Singleton, Chandler Lotridge, Danielle and Rachel Billhartz, and McCall and Caden Sheetz; his loving pet, Shady Francis; and his numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; he was preceded in death by parents, Oliver W. and Marie, nee Engelhart, Billhartz; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Warren Billhartz, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, his 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.