SR0552 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0552 LRB096 16028 KXB 31276 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Michael George Cantonis of Tarpon Springs, Florida, formerly of Park Ridge, who passed away on November 17, 2009; and

WHEREAS, He was born on the Island of Symi, Greece on May 25, 1915, to George Michael and Chrysanthi Giallourakis Cantonis; at the age of 17, Michael left Greece for the United States, arriving through Ellis Island in 1934; he first worked for his uncles, The Giallourakis Brother's Sponge Company, in Florida before moving to New York in 1938; soon after moving to New York, Michael borrowed $1,000 and founded ACME Sponge & Chamois Company, Inc.; in 1947 He married the love of his life, Anastasia Harras, and they moved to Chicago; and

WHEREAS, The couple settled in Park Ridge, where they raised their three children, George, James, and Cynthia; in 1977, after 30 years in Chicago, he moved his company to Tarpon Springs, Florida, to be adjacent to the location of the existing chamois manufacturing plant and natural sponge operation; until his final days, he remained active in ACME and also served as Chairman of the Board of the Cantonis Company; in addition to his roles as founder and president of ACME and Chairman of the Board of the Cantonis Company, his other career-long commitment was to several philanthropic organizations; and

WHEREAS, His many philanthropic interests included an endowment fund to Hellenic College Holy Cross for a Chair in Byzantine Studies; an endowment fund at the University of Florida in Gainesville for the Department of Greek Studies; Morton Plant Hospital; Berkeley Preparatory School; Tarpon Springs Public Library; Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital; Ruth Eckerd Hall; UPARC; The Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, Turkey; the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in New York; St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church of Chicago; and St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Tarpon Springs; he established the Michael G. Cantonis Sanctuary Fund at St. Michael the Archangel in Lecanto, in order to build a new church and community center; he made numerous other donations to churches, hospitals, schools, and art centers throughout the United States as well as donations to his native Island of Symi, Greece; and

WHEREAS, Throughout his lifetime, he received the following recognitions and honors; Officion (Award) of Archon Ieromnimon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate by the late Patriarch Demetrios; Medal of the Holy Cross of the Crusaders of the Holy Sepulchre by the late Patriarch of Jerusalem, Venediktos; Gold Medal of the 50th Anniversary of the St. Andrews Community of Chicago, where he served for 24 years as Treasurer, Vice President, President, and Chairman of the Board; Declaration as a Great Benefactor and the Key to the City of Tarpon Springs Award; Ellis Island Medal of Honor; and numerous awards from the University of Florida; he was an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America, a member of Leadership 100 of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, and an Executive committee member of the Archdiocesan Council; and

WHEREAS, In 1946, he was raised a Master Mason in New York City before transferring to Hellenic Lodge No. 1084 A.F & A.M. in Chicago, a 63 year Mason; he was also a perpetual member in the York Rite bodies and Medinah Shrine in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, He was predeceased by his younger brothers, Ted G. Cantonis and Constantine G. Cantonis; and

WHEREAS, Michael Cantonis is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 63 years, Anastasia Harras; his three children and their spouses, George and Maria Cantonis, James Cantonis, and Cynthia Cantonis Heller and Steve Heller; his four grandsons, Michael, Spiro, Matthew, and Leigh; his two granddaughters, Anastasia and Alexandra; and his younger brother, Carl G. Cantonis; therefore, be it

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

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