SR0346 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0346 LRB096 13371 GRL 28087 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Lois Mila Killam of Jacksonville, who passed away on June 27, 2009; and

WHEREAS, Lois Killam was born on May 14, 1921 on the Joy farm near Loami; her parents were William B. and Mettye Hancock Handy; she married Edward L. Killam Jr. in 1943; and

WHEREAS, Lois Killam attended White Pilgrim School, a one room country school near Waverly; she graduated from Waverly High School in 1939 and from Hardin-Brown Business College in Jacksonville in 1941; and

WHEREAS, Lois Killam was employed as an executive secretary at New Method Book Bindery and NESCO; she was later employed as a receptionist at radio station WLDS, where she sometimes played guitar and sang with "The Prairie Pioneers", a country and western band; she was also employed at Jacksonville State Hospital as a librarian until her retirement in 1981; and

WHEREAS, After her retirement from Jacksonville State Hospital, Lois Killam and her husband moved to Palm Springs, California, where they became active community volunteers and won the Volunteer of the Year Award in 1990; she became close friends with Sonny Bono while working on his campaign to become mayor of Palm Springs; she later became Rep. Bono's district office receptionist when he was elected to serve in Congress; after her retirement in 2000, she was honored by having September 2, 2000 designated as "Lois Killam Day" in Palm Springs and the surrounding communities; and

WHEREAS, After her retirement from Rep. Bono's staff, Lois Killam returned to Jacksonville, where she continued to enjoy her lifetime of reading, political news, gardening, cooking, friends, and family; and

WHEREAS, Lois Killam was preceded in death by her husband, Edward L. Killam Jr.; her five siblings; and her daughter, Suellen Killam Casson; and

WHEREAS, Lois Killam is survived by her son, Edward L. Killam III; her grandsons, Tom Casson and Tim Casson; her four great-grandchildren; and her many nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Lois Mila Killam; and be it further

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