Full Text of SR0749 93rd General Assembly
SR0749 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, Ray Soden has served the citizens of DuPage County | 3 |
| in the Illinois State Senate since May 1, 2003; and
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| WHEREAS, Ray was chosen to replace Senator James "Pate" | 5 |
| Philip (R-Wood Dale) who retired April 30, 2003; and
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| WHEREAS, The 23rd District State Senator serves on the | 7 |
| Senate Revenue Committee; and
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| WHEREAS, A strong advocate for veterans, Senator Soden also | 9 |
| serves on the Senate Republican Task Force on Veterans; and
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| WHEREAS, Ray served in World War II as a Navy sonarman 3rd | 11 |
| class; and
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| WHEREAS, Soden enlisted in the United States Navy soon | 13 |
| after the bombing of Pearl Harbor; and
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| WHEREAS, He was assigned to the USS Claxton and took part | 15 |
| in the North Africa invasion in November 1942; and
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| WHEREAS, His squadron was then sent to the Pacific theater | 17 |
| of operations, where he saw action in the landings at Okinawa, | 18 |
| Saipan, Guam, Leyte Gulf, and Iwo Jima; and
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| WHEREAS, His military service was recognized with European | 20 |
| and Asiatic Campaign Medals and seven battle stars; and
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| WHEREAS, His squadron received two Presidential Unit | 22 |
| Citations; and
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| WHEREAS, Following military service, Soden returned to | 24 |
| Illinois and went to work for the Illinois Bell Telephone | 25 |
| Company, from which he is now retired; and
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| WHEREAS, He joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1949 at | 2 |
| Post 2149 in Bensenville; and
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| WHEREAS, He soon became Post Commander, and through the | 4 |
| hard work that is the hallmark of his career, increased | 5 |
| membership by 573; and
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| WHEREAS, He then moved on through District and Department | 7 |
| chairs, winning election as Department Commander in 1964; and
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| WHEREAS, Soden has also received many appointments over the | 9 |
| years: chairman of the Voice of Democracy Committee; | 10 |
| vice-chairman of the National Security and Foreign Affairs | 11 |
| Committee; chairman of the National Bicentennial Committee; | 12 |
| and
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| WHEREAS, Several times, he also served on the National | 14 |
| Convention Committee, and in 1965, served as President of the | 15 |
| VFW National Convention Corporation; and
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| WHEREAS, Ray served as Commander-in-Chief of the national | 17 |
| VFW organization from 1973 to 1974; and
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| WHEREAS, As Commander-in-Chief, he presided over the VFW's | 19 |
| 75th anniversary, a year in which the organization took major | 20 |
| steps to find out what happened to the prisoners of war who had | 21 |
| not returned from Vietnam, and to call for better care and | 22 |
| treatment of those veterans who had returned; and
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| WHEREAS, Ray and his wife, Shirley, live in Wood Dale and | 24 |
| have three children, six grandchildren, and seven | 25 |
| great-grandchildren; and
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| WHEREAS, He is active in many civic projects and is a | 27 |
| member of several civic organizations, including the Lions and |
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| Kiwanis; and
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| WHEREAS, Soden served as a DuPage County Board member from | 3 |
| 1982 to 1992 and was president of the DuPage County Forest | 4 |
| Preserve District from 1988 to 1992; and
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| WHEREAS, He is a former president of the Oak Park and | 6 |
| Bensenville Lions Clubs and the Telephone Pioneers; and
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| WHEREAS, He was named Wood Dale Citizen of the Year in | 8 |
| 2001; and
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| WHEREAS, An accomplished singer, Soden performed on the | 10 |
| National Barn Dance program and shared the microphone with such | 11 |
| stars as George Gobel, Lulabelle and Scotty, Homer and Jethro, | 12 |
| Red Foley, and Andy Williams; and
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| WHEREAS, In his 20 months as State Senator, he has earned | 14 |
| the respect and admiration of his colleagues by handling his | 15 |
| duties with the ease and aplomb of a veteran lawmaker; and
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| WHEREAS, Lawmakers and staff know Senator Soden as a | 17 |
| friendly person whose gentlemanly elegance evokes a more | 18 |
| gracious era; and
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| WHEREAS, His easy smile and kindness will be missed during | 20 |
| the long hours of debate on the Senate floor; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL | 22 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Ray Soden for | 23 |
| his dedicated service as a State Senator for the 23rd District, | 24 |
| and wish him well in all his future endeavors; and be it | 25 |
| further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this preamble and | 27 |
| resolution be presented to Ray Soden with our thanks for a job |
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| well done.
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