SR0478 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0478 LRB095 16817 GRL 42855 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of John Lukehart of Oak Park, who passed away on December 11, 2007; and

WHEREAS, John Lukehart was born on his family's farm in Laurel, Iowa; he graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Distributed Studies, focusing on sociology and political science; he moved to Oak Park in 1980; and

WHEREAS, John Lukehart developed a sterling reputation as an advocate for fair housing; he worked tirelessly for the Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities, a fair housing organization started by Martin Luther King in the 1960s; he was actively involved in the Village of Oak Park's community relations commission, dealing with discrimination in the 1980s; he was also instrumental in the creation of the Illinois Housing Roundtable, a group that coordinates the activities of the various fair housing groups in the Chicago area; and

WHEREAS, As an advocate for fair housing, John Lukehart attempted to stress the relationship between employment, housing, and affirmative housing strategies for low and moderate income families; his innate ability to connect with labor unions, faith-based groups, middle and upper income people, social justice groups, civil rights groups, and business entities aided the council immensely in its fight for fairness in housing practices; and

WHEREAS, John Lukehart's passion for equal treatment for all was only matched by his intense love for art; he worked with the Oak Park Area Arts Council, serving as president of the organization since 2002; he was instrumental in the passage of Oak Park's Public Arts Ordinance; he helped to pay for a lease for the first two large sculptures placed in Oak Park out of his own pocket; he was also a proud supporter of Off The Wall, a summer arts employment program for local teens; and he was awarded the Joseph Randall Shapiro Award in 2006 by the Oak Park Area Arts Council for his numerous contributions to the arts; and

WHEREAS, John Lukehart's love for art was also personal; he was known as a great photographer, donating photos to the arts council's annual fall fundraiser; and

WHEREAS, John Lukehart was preceded in death by his father, L.J. "Mike" Lukehart; and

WHEREAS, John Lukehart is survived by his wife, Mary Daly Lewis; his children, Jennifer and Jason Lukehart; his step-children, Colin and Alison Lewis; his mother, Donna (nee Stewart); his siblings, Lynda (Morris) Wolken and Greg (Cheryl) Lukehart; his in-laws, Sharon, Patrick (Lorraine), Edward (Sharon), and Michael (Stella) Daly; and his many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins; and

WHEREAS, John Lukehart will be remembered by all who knew and loved him as a quiet and calm, yet passionate person, whose dedication to the arts and fair treatment to all were without peer; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of John Lukehart; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of John Lukehart as an expression of our sympathy.