SR0820 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0820 LRB094 21347 HSS 59695 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Gerald S. Gidwitz of Chicago on Tuesday, July 11, 2006, just six days before his 100th birthday; and

WHEREAS, He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of a cotton farmer and general store owner; he moved with his family to Chicago when he was 12 years old; he married Jane Blumenthal in 1944; she preceded him in death in 2001; and

WHEREAS, He graduated from the University of Chicago, and in 1927, he went to work for National Minerals Co., which came to be Helene Curtis; the Gidwitz family and others took the firm that was essentially bankrupt and made it into a prosperous company from which the Suave shampoo brand came; he was chairman of Helene Curtis when it was sold to Unilever; and

WHEREAS, Outside of business, he was committed to educational causes and helped to fund literacy programs through Roosevelt University and later, National-Louis University; he was devoted to stopping the spread of communism, was known as a "Cold Warrior", and funded literacy programs that he hoped would help people to get off of welfare; he served on the board of Roosevelt University and worked with the National Planning Association; and

WHEREAS, He supported cultural institutions, including the Auditorium Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre; he grew orchids at his greenhouse at his Highland Park home until he moved to the city in the 1970s and was an avid tennis player until his early 90s; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Gerald S. Gidwitz has been deeply felt by many, especially his sons, Ronald, James, Peter, and Thomas; his daughter, Nancy; and his nine grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Gerald S. Gidwitz, 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.