SR0477 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0477 LRB096 15265 KXB 30351 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Ella Pfeiffenberger Anschuetz, formerly of Alton, who passed away on June 27, 2009; and

WHEREAS, A longtime Alton resident and widow of former Alton surgeon Dr. Robert R. Anschuetz, she moved to Denver from Alton in 2002 to be near family; a third generation Altonian, Mrs. Anschuetz grew up on Bluff Street; she was the daughter of Dr. Mather and Hortense Pfeiffenberger, the granddaughter of three-time Alton mayor Lucas Pfeiffenberger, the mother of seven children, and the grandmother of six; her maternal grandfather Rodgers and Uncle Eben Rodgers established the Alton Brick Company; and

WHEREAS, Before her marriage in 1942, Ella attended schools as near as the former Irving and Roosevelt schools in Alton and as far away as the University of Heidelberg in Germany; while in Germany, she attended the 1936 Berlin Olympics and saw Adolph Hitler; she graduated from Monticello Seminary, a high school, and in 1934, she graduated as valedictorian of Monticello College, a junior college; she earned an undergraduate degree from Wellesley College, class of 1936, and a master's degree from Washington University; and

WHEREAS, Many Altonians remember Mrs. Anschuetz as a talented harpist; one of the high points of Mrs. Anschuetz's life was her harp study at Michigan's Interlochen Music Camp; she was the oldest of seven children who played together as a family orchestra and even had a composition adapted for them; in addition to playing with the Alton Civic Orchestra, as an active member of First Presbyterian Church of Alton she played the harp at Christmas Eve services for 50 years; and

WHEREAS, In addition to her extraordinary dedication to her family, she was particularly devoted to excellence in classical music and education, as well as serving the Alton community in several leadership positions; Mrs. Anschuetz's involvement in Alton community service spanned more than half a century; she led the Alton Community Service League as well as numerous Cub Scout, Brownie, and Girl Scout troops; she also served on the Jenny D. Hayner Library Foundation Board for 40 years and on the United Way, Monticello Foundation, and Alton Museum of History and Art boards; and

WHEREAS, In addition to 21 years in the Irving School PTA, she also enthusiastically attended countless dance recitals, piano recitals, graduations, and ballgames; and she loved to talk about the night she took her children, Bill and Sara, to the Beatles concert at Busch Stadium; and

WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her infant daughter, Martha Ella; her brother, Dr. Mather Pfeiffenberger; and her sister, Mary J. Pfeiffenberger; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Anschuetz is survived by four daughters, Mary Vogt, Elizabeth Yates, Jean Lipson, and Dr. Sara Anschuetz; two sons, Dr. Robert Anschuetz and William Anschuetz; six grandchildren; her sister, Jane Luer; and her brothers, Lucas Pfeiffenberger, Andrew Pfeiffenberger, and Franklin Pfeiffenberger; 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 Ella Pfeiffenberger Anschuetz; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Ella Pfeiffenberger Anschuetz as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.