HR0735 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0735 LRB095 13867 GRL 39628 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Estella May "Coots" Merz on the occasion of her 80th birthday; and

WHEREAS, Estella May "Coots" Merz was born to Clarence Miletus Houston and Nellie May Allington in Springfield, Illinois on October 4, 1927; and

WHEREAS, Estella May "Coots" Merz married William Lee Merz on December 4, 1948; he passed away on July 29, 1999; she is the proud mother of three daughters, Nancy, Sandra, and Mary Ellen, and considers her two Yorkshire Terriers, Missy and Minnie, to be her children as well; and

WHEREAS, Estella May "Coots" Merz worked briefly at the shoe factory and Springfield Electric, then stayed at home to raise her three daughters while her husband worked as a sheet metal worker; and

WHEREAS, Estella May "Coots" Merz is known for her sense of humor; she is also known for her love of movies, especially horror movies; over the years, she has single-handedly recorded thousands of hours of movies, including cartoons, science fiction, mysteries, horror, and others; and

WHEREAS, Estella May "Coots" Merz has a love of gizmos and gadgets, such as her ring watch and the electric can opener with a built-in clock she bought her daughter Nancy; she keeps up with new technology and is addicted to her computer, which she uses frequently to check the news and weather, download music and videos, and once printed off hundreds of American flags until she ran out of ink; she also loves her big-screen television; and

WHEREAS, Estella May "Coots" Merz adopted a healthier lifestyle by walking on the treadmill daily, giving up an addiction to Pepsi and switching to water, and recently taking dancing lessons with her sister Norma; and

WHEREAS, Estella May "Coots" Merz is the proud grandmother of Stephen, who is in the Illinois National Guard and recently served in Iraq, and Shelby, who just received her driver's license; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Estella May "Coots" Merz on the occasion of her 80th birthday and wish her many more happy and healthy years to come; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Estella May "Coots" Merz as a symbol of our esteem and respect.