HR0504 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0504 LRB096 13209 GRL 27826 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of John Cribbet, who passed away on May 23, 2009; and

WHEREAS, John Cribbet was born on February 21, 1918 in Findlay; he was the son of Howard and Ruth Cribbet; he earned his bachelor's degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1940 and enrolled at the University of Illinois College of Law; and

WHEREAS, In the summer of 1941, John Cribbet interrupted his studies to enlist in the U.S. Army as a private; over the next four years, he rose in rank and responsibility, completing his military career as a major and aide-de-camp for the 8th Corps Commander, General Troy Middleton; Mr. Cribbet's distinguished service earned him the Bronze Star and Croix de Guerre; and

WHEREAS, John Cribbet earned his law degree in 1947; after a few months in private practice in Bloomington, he was recruited to University of Illinois' College of Law by long-time Dean Albert J. Harno; he served as an assistant professor from 1947 to 1951 and as an associate professor from 1951 until 1953, when he became a professor; in 1967, he was named the College of Law's seventh dean, a post he held until being named chancellor in 1979, where he remained until 1984; and

WHEREAS, Follwing his tenure at the University of Illinois, John Cribbet returned to the College of Law and taught for 12 years before retiring in 1988; and

WHEREAS, John Cribbet played a key role in the University of Illinois' growth; he also helped to revive Illini football by hiring then-coach Mike White, who took the team to its first Rose Bowl in two decades in 1984; he was also instrumental in the creation of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, one of the largest interdisciplinary research centers among U.S. universities, in 1985; and

WHEREAS, John Cribbet was the author of numerous legal texts, including the widely used "Cases and Materials on Property", a law textbook now in its eighth edition; and

WHEREAS, John Cribbet was active in a variety of organizations; he served as president of the Association of American Law Schools, chairman of the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Ethics, board member of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, president of the Champaign County United Fund, and member of the Champaign City Planning Commission; he was a long-time member of the Urbana Rotary Club and a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow; he was also involved in many county and State bar associations, as well as the American Bar Association; and

WHEREAS, John Cribbet is survived by his wife, Betty, and his daughters, Pamela and Carol Ann and their families; and

WHEREAS, John Cribbet will be remembered by all who knew and loved him as a legendary teacher and scholar in the field of property law and a gentleman who never spoke ill of anyone; therefore, be it

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

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