SR0753 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0753 LRB096 21873 KXB 39832 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Knox College Professor Emeritus of Economics and Business Administration Wilbur Fiske Pillsbury II, who passed away on April 1, 2010; and

WHEREAS, He was born August 7, 1921, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Herbert and Alma Thorson Pillsbury; he married Katherine Wheeler on September 22, 1946 and she preceded him in death on May 4, 1980; he later married Maxine Tucker on December 15, 1984; and

WHEREAS, He graduated from Central High School in Minneapolis in 1938, Dartmouth College in 1946 with a bachelor's degree, Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth with a master's degree, and received his Ph.D. from Indiana University in 1952; and

WHEREAS, He was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving with the rank of ensign during World War II; and

WHEREAS, Professor Pillsbury taught at Knox from 1949 until 1990; from 1956 until 1967, he also served as Dean of Men and then Dean of Students; starting in the 1960s, he integrated computers into his classes at Knox, developing the nation's first computerized accounting curriculum; his book "Computer Augmented Accounting" was published in 1970, followed by a revised 1983 edition, "Microcomputer Augmented Accounting," co-authored with colleague William Ripperger; and

WHEREAS, The curriculum that Professor Pillsbury developed at Knox was eventually used in more than 600 schools, colleges, and universities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, England, France, and South America, and he wrote and spoke extensively about his innovations; and

WHEREAS, Among the many awards and honors he received was the 1972 Outstanding Teacher of America Award, the 1981 Philip Green Wright Prize for Excellence in Teaching, and the 1987 Burlington Northern Foundation Faculty Achievement Award; and

WHEREAS, At his retirement in 1990, the Wilbur F. Pillsbury Scholarship Fund was created with a collective gift from the Pillsbury children, his sons, Wilbur III, Roger, and Ronald, and his daughters, Carol Pavlish and Jeanne Voigt; the Fund provides financial assistance for Knox College students interested in the field of business; in 2003, a set of stone benches was placed outside Knox's Old Main to commemorate his service to the College; and

WHEREAS, He was a member of Central Congregational Church in Galesburg since 1949, where he taught Sunday school for over 25 years and held many leadership positions; he was a member of the Galesburg Noon Rotary Club, the Soangetaha Country Club, the American Economic Association, and the American Accounting Association; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his infant daughter; his parents; and his sister; and

WHEREAS, He is survived by his wife, Maxine; his three sons, Wilbur F. (and Lorie) Pillsbury III, Roger (and Becky) Pillsbury, and Ronald (and Patti) Pillsbury; his two daughters, Carol (and Charles) Pavlish and Jeanne (and Scott) Voigt; and his 13 loving grandchildren who were the pride of his life; 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 Professor Wilbur Pillsbury; and be it further

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