HR0013 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0013 LRB099 04078 GRL 24097 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of John B. Goodrich, who passed away on December 9, 2014; and

WHEREAS, John Goodrich was born on January 4, 1928 in Spokane, Washington; his parents were John Casey and Dorothy (nee Koll) Goodrich; he married Therese H. Vollmer in 1952; and

WHEREAS, John Goodrich attended Catholic schools in Spokane, including Gonzaga Preparatory School and Gonzaga University; he subsequently earned his Juris Doctor from the Gonzaga University School of Law in 1954 and was admitted to the Washington Bar in 1954; and

WHEREAS, In 1955, John Goodrich accepted a position as Assistant to the General Counsel of the Chromium Mining and Smelting Corporation, which brought him to the Chicago area; he was admitted to the Illinois Bar and the United States Supreme Court in 1955; and

WHEREAS, John Goodrich began his railroad career in 1956 as General Solicitor for the Monon Railroad; he rose through the Railroad's Law Department, going from Secretary/Treasurer to Vice President of Law in 1969; in 1970, he went to the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad and served as General Counsel before becoming Treasurer at Illinois Central Gulf in 1985; and

WHEREAS, After retiring from the railroad, John Goodrich served as General Counsel for the Illinois Finance Authority in Chicago before retiring again to play golf, travel, keep a small private law practice, and grow a moustache; and

WHEREAS, John Goodrich was a member of the Park Forest Traffic and Safety Commission and the Recreation and Parks Board; he served as a Village Trustee of Park Forest from 1977 to 1980; he was a member of the District 163 School Board and the boards of the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tall Grass Arts Association; he served on the Chicago South Suburban Mass Transit District Board from 1996 to 2014; he was an actively involved member of St. Irenaeus Parish, having served on the religious education school board for many years and singing in the church choir; he was also active in the Knights of Columbus for over 60 years; and

WHEREAS, John Goodrich and his wife were inducted into the Park Forest Historical Society Hall of Fame in 1998; and

WHEREAS, John Goodrich was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Ann; and a daughter, Paula Marie; and

WHEREAS, John Goodrich is survived by his wife of 62 years, Therese; his children, Joe and Carol Goodrich, Bernadette and Peter Morrison, Andrew and Mary Goodrich, Philip and Gail Goodrich, Thomas Goodrich, Marybeth Goodrich-McCarthy, Jennifer Goodrich and German White, Tim and Rosanne Goodrich-Schutz, and foster son Rudy Moreno; and 11 grandchildren, Kim (Josh), Stephanie, John J., Peter, Jr., Claire, Valerie, Nick (Katie), Nathan, Thomas, Melissa, and Michael; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his family and friends, mourn the passing of John B. Goodrich; and be it further

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