SR1615 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1615 LRB099 20830 MST 45581 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Plessa Edward Mast of Urbana, who passed away on February 19, 2016; and

WHEREAS, Edward Mast was born in Bourbon, Indiana to Plessa L. and Vada Mae Mast on October 18, 1926; he lived in Churubusco and Nappanee, Indiana before moving to Peru, Indiana; he graduated from Peru High School in 1944 and started college at Purdue University the same year; after being drafted, he enlisted in the United States Navy as an electronics technician's mate in the fall of 1945, during World War II; he married Phyllis Oury in 1947; and

WHEREAS, In 1946, Edward Mast volunteered to serve on the USS Appalachian, a communications ship that was at the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests; he returned to complete his undergraduate and master's degrees in electrical engineering at Purdue University; after a brief stint as an engineer for the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. in Akron, Ohio, he joined the University of Illinois in 1952, starting a continuous association with the U of I by Edward, his children, and his grandchildren that lasted for 64 years to date; he received a Doctor in Electrical Engineering in 1958, and he remained at the U of I for his entire career as a professor of electrical engineering, becoming associate head of the Electrical Engineering Department in 1985, before retiring in 1987; in addition to his work at the U of I, he worked many summers for aerospace companies in Southern California, where he designed antennas for spacecraft and missiles, with a particular focus on electromagnetic propagation of radio frequency signals during spacecraft re-entry; and

WHEREAS, Edward Mast was an Eagle Scout, and all 6 of his sons and 7 of his grandsons are Eagle Scouts; when he gave a presentation at the Eagle Scout ceremony for his grandchildren, he remembered his experience getting a camping merit badge when he rode his bicycle to the woods, and stayed alone overnight with a gun for protection from animals; and

WHEREAS, Edward Mast built a car for the Great American Soapbox Derby in 1937, and his love for cars continued throughout his life; he learned to fix all the cars he owned through the years and he was a longstanding member of Illini Collector Car Club; and

WHEREAS, Edward Mast was proud of his Amish-Mennonite heritage and did extensive genealogy research, including tracing the immigration of his fourth great-grandfather, Jacob Mast, from Switzerland to Pennsylvania on the Charming Nancy in 1737 and identifying his eighth great-grandfather, Benedict Mast, who was born in Guggisberg, Canton Bern, Switzerland, in about 1570; and

WHEREAS, Edward Mast enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, playing games, showing them his model train sets, and making them his hot chocolate with whipped cream; and

WHEREAS, Edward Mast was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Jane and Mary Etta; and

WHEREAS, Edward Mast is survived by his wife of 68 years, Phyllis; his 7 children, Philip (Katy), Kim (Cindy), Eric (Jill), Dan (Laura), Anne (John), Alan (Lynne), and Jeffery (Kristin); his 22 grandchildren; his 4 great-grandchildren; his brother, Paul Mast; and many extended family and cherished friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Plessa Edward Mast, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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