HR1284 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1284 LRB095 21358 KXB 50599 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate William Lane Harrison of Zion as he retires from Central Junior High School in Zion; and

WHEREAS, Lane Harrison's family has lived in Zion almost since it's founding in 1903; he is the son of William N. and Dorothy Harrison; and

WHEREAS, Lane Harrison began kindergarten at East Elementary in Zion (1954); he finished 6th grade at East and then finished his elementary education completing the 8th grade at Central Junior High in 1964; he continued his education by attending Zion Benton Township High School, where he graduated in 1968 and earned musician of the year honors; and

WHEREAS, He attended Mount Senario College in Ladysmith, Wisconsin, where he was awarded a full music scholarship his Junior and Senior years, and graduated in 1972; his musical work has included vocal concerts including Sacred, Baroque, and Classical music; he began his teaching career in Tony, Wisconsin, in 1972 for the Tony Flambeau Schools; he was hired a year later by the Holcombe Public Schools where he had previously been a student teacher; and

WHEREAS, He returned home to Zion in 1976; he was hired by by Dr. Wesley Shepherd in 1980 as the District Band Director for the elementary schools; in 1986 he moved from Band to Computer Director for the District; he has taught for 33 1/2 years, 28 of which were at his Junior High School alma mater, Central Junior High, at Zion Elementary District 6; and

WHEREAS, In 1979 Lane Harrison was elected to the Zion Benton Township High School Board of Education and served on that board until his election to the Zion City Council in 1987; he served as Commissioner of Public Property and then as the Commissioner of Police and Fire until 1995; in 1995 he ran for the office of Mayor and was defeated; he ran again for the office of Mayor in 1999 and was elected with 70% of the vote; he was elected to a second term as Mayor in 2003, having the distinction of being the first Mayor of Zion to run unopposed; on April 17, 2007 he was elected to a third term as Mayor; and

WHEREAS, Lane Harrison is married to Sheryl, originally from Gurnee, and together they have 5 children and 3 grandchildren; he is retiring from his teaching career to begin a new career as an outdoor sportsman; his love of hunting and fishing will keep him occupied until he begins his next career as the full-time Mayor of Zion in May of 2009; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Lane Harrison and wish him all the best in his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to William Lane Harrison as a symbol of our respect.