HR0638 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0638 LRB095 12879 GRL 38366 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The institution of marriage is one of the cornerstones upon which our society is built, and a marriage that has achieved a notable longevity is truly a model for the people of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate George and Demetra Futris on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary; and

WHEREAS, George C. Futris was born July 4, 1921 in Evanston to Greek immigrants, Constantine and Valsamo Futris; Demetra Psyhogios, the daughter of Greek immigrants Peter and Petrula Psyhogios, was born on March 20, 1922 in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, George Futris attended Marshall High School on Chicago's west side; he worked as a milkman at Mid-City Dairy; during the Second World War, he served in the Army Air Corps as a sergeant in the 310th Airdrome Squad Training Command in the China-Burma-India theater; he returned home on January 5, 1946; and

WHEREAS, Demetra Futris graduated from Lucy Flower High School and Wright Junior College in Chicago; during the Second World War, she managed a pool of 100 secretaries for the Insurance Division of the United States Army; and

WHEREAS, George and Demetra Futris met in the spring of 1946 at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago's Austin neighborhood, where they enjoyed each other's company at a variety of young adult activities sponsored by the church; on Christmas Eve of 1946, George waited for Demetra on the steps of the church to give her a gift; before he could give it to her, he asked for a penny because the brooch and matching earrings had sharp points; it was then that George asked Demetra to go on their first official date; on that first date, on January 4, 1947, George proposed and Demetra accepted; they were married on September 21, 1947 at the Assumption Church in Chicago, surrounded by family and friends; and

WHEREAS, George and Demetra Futris have been retired since 1990; after his return from the U.S. Army, George went back to work at Mid-City Dairy until 1962, when he bought a diner at 5840 W. Roosevelt Road in Chicago; Big George's became a neighborhood institution and was well known for its chili, which was named one of the top five in the Chicago area in Pat Bruno's Best of Chicago book and in Bruno's and other food critics' columns over many years; George and Demetra sold the business and their home and retired to an active adult community in Plainfield in 1990; they still reside in their Plainfield home; and

WHEREAS, During their 60 years of marriage, George and Demetra Futris have had three children; the oldest, Valerie Christine, has been married to Dean A. Dranias for 37 years and has one son, Patrick Terrance, and a grandson, Skyler; their second child, Dean George, has been married to Denise Kanton for almost 34 years and has three children, Lauren, Logan Dean, and Dana; their youngest child, Peter George, has been married to Marcey Donlan for 22 years and has two daughters, Ashley Ann and Katie Rose; and

WHEREAS, George and Demetra Futris will celebrate this auspicious anniversary with their family and close friends at a luncheon on August 12, 2007; and

WHEREAS, The respect for marriage reaches one of its highest plateaus when a couple such as George and Demetra celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary; George and Demetra stand as examples of the best of our society, and their love and devotion to each other and to their family and friends serve as a reminder to all that hard work, dedication, and love can make a difference in today's world; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate George and Demetra Futris on the occasion of their sixtieth wedding anniversary; that we commend them for achieving a long and happy marriage, blessed with children, grandchildren, and rich in friendships; and that we wish them happiness and good health in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to George and Demetra Futris as a symbol of our esteem and respect.