Full Text of SR0927 97th General Assembly
SR0927 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | SR0927 | | LRB097 23036 GRL 71844 r |
|
| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 | | learn of the death of William J. O'Connell Jr. of Peoria, who | 4 | | passed away on September 23, 2012; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, William O'Connell Jr. was born on July 23, 1929, | 6 | | in Kewanee; he was the son of William J. O'Connell Sr. and | 7 | | Josephine (Robinson) O'Connell; he married Helen Rose Engel on | 8 | | January 26, 1957, in New Blaine, Arkansas; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, William O'Connell Jr. earned his bachelor's and | 10 | | master's degrees from Bradley University; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, William O'Connell Jr. was a lifelong employee of | 12 | | the Journal Star, where he retired in 1996 as the newspaper's | 13 | | political reporter, covering the Illinois Legislature; he was | 14 | | the author of the newspaper's "Off the Political Grapevine" | 15 | | column; and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, William O'Connell Jr. was named Illinois | 17 | | Journalist of the Year by Northern Illinois University in 1986; | 18 | | he was the recipient of a national award from the American | 19 | | Political Science Association and was honored by the Associated | 20 | | Press, the Illinois Education Association, and the Illinois | 21 | | Valley Press Club; he also served as president of the Illinois |
| | | SR0927 | - 2 - | LRB097 23036 GRL 71844 r |
|
| 1 | | Legislative Correspondents Association; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, William O'Connell Jr. formed the St. Patrick's | 3 | | Society of Peoria with 4 of his friends in 1980; he was a | 4 | | lifetime member of the organization and remained active as an | 5 | | ex-officio board member; he served as grand marshal of the | 6 | | Peoria St. Patrick's Day Parade in 1996; he was also a founder | 7 | | of the local chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, where | 8 | | he was a member for 23 years and served as president from 1999 | 9 | | to 2000; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, William O'Connell Jr. was designated as Hibernian | 11 | | of the Year in 1998 and was given the AOH Appreciation Award in | 12 | | 1997 for his work with the Ancient Order of Hibernians; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, William O'Connell Jr. was a dedicated parishioner | 14 | | of St. Bernard's Parish in Peoria, where he served many years | 15 | | as an usher at Sunday services; and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, William O'Connell Jr. was preceded in his death by | 17 | | his parents and his son, William Francis O'Connell; and | 18 | | WHEREAS, William O'Connell Jr. is survived by his wife, | 19 | | Helen; his children, Kelly (Dan) Kennelly, Thomas (Linda) | 20 | | O'Connell, Timothy (Anita) O'Connell, Molly (George) Phoenix, | 21 | | and David (Kristi) O'Connell; his 12 grandchildren; and his 3 |
| | | SR0927 | - 3 - | LRB097 23036 GRL 71844 r |
|
| 1 | | great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
| 2 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL | 3 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with | 4 | | his family and friends, the passing of William J. O'Connell | 5 | | Jr.; and be it further
| 6 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 7 | | presented to the family of William O'Connell Jr. as an | 8 | | expression of our sympathy.
|
|