Full Text of HR0621 98th General Assembly
HR0621 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Robert W. | 4 | | Duncan of Marion, who passed away on October 12, 2013; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Robert Duncan was born on December 20, 1920 in | 6 | | Marion to Absalom Wesley and Nellie Mae (nee Drake) Duncan; he | 7 | | graduated from Marion High School and attended Southern | 8 | | Illinois University in Carbondale for 3 years before joining | 9 | | the United States Navy; he married Evelyn Russell on March 7, | 10 | | 1943 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Robert Duncan joined the Navy at age 21 and had a | 12 | | 26-year military career; he was one of the original members of | 13 | | the "Fighting Five" of the USS Yorktown, also dubbed "The | 14 | | Fighting Lady"; he earned the title "Fighter Ace" for the | 15 | | numerous successful aerial combat missions he was involved in | 16 | | during World War II; in recognition of his success, he was | 17 | | awarded the Navy Cross, the Navy's highest honor for | 18 | | extraordinary heroism, skilled airmanship, courage, and | 19 | | gallant devotion to duty in the face of overwhelming | 20 | | opposition; he was credited with flying more than 100 missions | 21 | | during World War II and the Korean War; he was honorably | 22 | | discharged in 1966 with the rank of naval captain; his exploits | 23 | | in the air were documented in 2007 in a History Channel series |
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| 1 | | entitled "Dogfights", about World War II fighter pilots; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Robert Duncan became a real estate broker with | 3 | | Rodd Realty of Marion for several years following his | 4 | | retirement from the Navy; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Robert Duncan served as Chairman of the Williamson | 6 | | County Regional Airport Board for 21 years, President of the | 7 | | Illinois Regional Airport Association, and Vice-President of | 8 | | Central Technology, Incorporated of Herrin; he was also a | 9 | | member of Marion Elks Lodge Benevolent and Protective Order of | 10 | | Elks No. 800, a 32nd Degree Mason, and a lifetime member of the | 11 | | Marion Veterans of Foreign Wars Heyde-Pillow Post 1301; in | 12 | | 2001, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the | 13 | | Marion Area Chamber of Commerce; he was a longtime member of | 14 | | the First Baptist Church of Marion; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, Robert Duncan was preceded in death by his parents | 16 | | and by his brother, Carl Duncan; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, Robert Duncan is survived by his wife, Evelyn | 18 | | Duncan; his daughter, Janice L. (Scott) Magruder; his son, | 19 | | Steven L. Duncan; his grandson, David (Crystal) Magruder; his | 20 | | granddaughter, Heather (Brian) Townsend; his | 21 | | great-granddaughters, Devon Hayley Magruder and Madalynn Grace | 22 | | Magruder; and other extended family and many friends; |
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| 1 | | therefore, be it
| 2 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 3 | | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 4 | | we mourn the passing of Robert W. Duncan and extend our sincere | 5 | | condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved | 6 | | him; and be it further
| 7 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 8 | | presented to the family of Robert Duncan as an expression of | 9 | | our deepest sympathy.
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