Full Text of SR0777 103rd General Assembly
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION | 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | 3 | | to learn of the death of Lt. Col. Lester Dale Bergsten of | 4 | | Peoria, who passed away on February 10, 2024; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Bergsten was born in Concordia, Kansas | 6 | | to Samuel and Florence (Smith) Bergsten on July 8, 1930; he | 7 | | received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering | 8 | | from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas; he served | 9 | | four years in ROTC and upon graduation received a second | 10 | | lieutenant commission in the United States Air Force; he | 11 | | married Jeanette Elsie Griggs in Delphos, Kansas on January | 12 | | 25, 1953; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Bergsten was called to active duty | 14 | | during the Korean War; he served on active duty and reserve | 15 | | assignments for 37 years with the United States Air Force; | 16 | | during his tenure, he was an instructor on the atomic bomb; | 17 | | later, he served as a liaison officer for the United States Air | 18 | | Force Academy for 20 years in Central Illinois, counseling | 19 | | students from area high schools and Illinois Central College; | 20 | | he received numerous commendations from the United States Air | 21 | | Force, including National Defense, USAF 20 Years of Reserve | 22 | | Service, Air Force Service, the Outstanding Unit Award | 23 | | (twice), and the Air Force Commendation; after 37 years of |
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| 1 | | service with the United States Air Force, he retired with the | 2 | | rank of lieutenant colonel in 1990; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Bergsten worked at Caterpillar, Inc. as | 4 | | an engineer for 40 years, retiring in 1992; he had assignments | 5 | | at the Peoria Proving Ground, the Gas Turbine Engine Division, | 6 | | and the Product Safety and Environmental Control Division; he | 7 | | was a registered professional engineer in the states of | 8 | | California and Illinois; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Bergsten served on the Peoria City | 10 | | Council as the District 5 Councilman for 20 years from 1973 to | 11 | | 1993; on his retirement from the city council, he was honored | 12 | | by having the Peoria Public Works Facility on Dries Lane named | 13 | | after him; one of his key assignments while on the city council | 14 | | was working on a joint city-county committee that oversaw the | 15 | | construction and operations of three Peoria City/Peoria County | 16 | | landfills; he served on this committee for over 44 years; he | 17 | | was a key person in planning the annexation of Pioneer | 18 | | Industrial Park and Willow Knolls Shopping Center to the City | 19 | | of Peoria; he was active in the Republican Party and served as | 20 | | a precinct committeeman for many years; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Bergsten was a member of a number of | 22 | | organizations, including Pi Tau Sigma and the Society of | 23 | | Automotive Engineers; he held life memberships in the Silver |
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| 1 | | Falcon Association, the American Society of Mechanical | 2 | | Engineers, the Air Force Association, and the Reserve Officers | 3 | | Association; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Bergsten was preceded in death by his | 5 | | wife of 63 years, Jeanette; his parents; his son, Paul Lester | 6 | | Bergsten; and his grandson, Houston Lee Arrowood; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Bergsten is survived by his children, | 8 | | Dr. Eric Dale (Rebecca) Bergsten and Ann Lee Arrowood; his | 9 | | grandchildren, Tova and Galen Bergsten; and his | 10 | | great-grandchildren, Jase and Macy Arrowood; therefore, be it | 11 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | 12 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 13 | | Lt. Col. Lester Dale Bergsten extend our sincere condolences | 14 | | to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be | 15 | | it further | 16 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 17 | | presented to the family of Lt. Col. Bergsten as an expression | 18 | | of our deepest sympathy. |
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