SR0060 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0060 LRB096 09765 GRL 19928 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Howard C. Ryan of Peru, who passed away on December 10, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Howard Ryan was born on June 17, 1916 in Tonica; his parents were John F. and Sarah (Egger) Ryan; he married Helen Cizek on October 16, 1943 in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Howard Ryan was educated at Tonica Schools, LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College, the University of Illinois, and the University of Illinois College of Law; he was admitted to the practice of law on April 14, 1942; and

WHEREAS, On May 5, 1943, Howard Ryan enlisted in the U.S. Army, joining the U.S. Army Air Corps, 2nd Ferry Division Air Transport Command, where he served as a radio operator for 43 months; and

WHEREAS, After his discharge from the Army, Howard Ryan practiced law in Decatur for one and a half years and then returned to LaSalle County, residing in Tonica and moving his practice to Peru; he was appointed a part-time assistant LaSalle County state's attorney in 1952 and was elected county judge in 1954; in 1957, he was elected circuit judge of the 13th Judicial Circuit, serving as chief judge from 1964 to 1968; he was elected to the 21-county 3rd District Appellate Court in 1968 and, from that district, was elected to the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1970; he served as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois from January of 1982 to January of 1985; he retired in 1990 after serving 36 years as a judge, including 20 years on the Illinois Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, After his retirement, Justice Ryan served three years as of counsel to the Chicago firm Peterson and Ross; and

WHEREAS, Justice Ryan was a member of various Masonic bodies and was a 33rd degree Mason; he was also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Tonica United Methodist Church, the LaSalle County, Illinois State, and American Bar Associations, the Illinois Judges Association, and the American Legion; and

WHEREAS, Justice Ryan was preceded in death by his wife, Helen; his son, John; and his two brothers and one sister; and

WHEREAS, Justice Ryan is survived by his son, Judge H. Chris (Kala) Ryan Jr.; his daughter, Elizabeth (Bing) Blumreich; his five grandchildren; his sister, Mary Ryan Warrner; and his 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 his family and friends, the passing of Justice Howard C. Ryan; and be it further

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