Full Text of SR0863 095th General Assembly
SR0863 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 |
| learn of the death of Zachary VanderGriend of Aurora, who | 4 |
| passed away on September 1, 2008; and
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| WHEREAS, Zachary was born in Sunnyside, Washington and then | 6 |
| moved to Lynden, Washington for a short time; his family then | 7 |
| relocated to Yakima, Washington where Zach attended WestSide | 8 |
| Christian School through 5th grade; during 5th grade, his | 9 |
| family again moved, this time to Aurora; Zachary attended | 10 |
| Aurora Christian School through his sophomore year and then | 11 |
| received his education through Christian Liberty Academy in | 12 |
| Arlington Heights, at the same time earning his private pilot's | 13 |
| license, attending Waubonsee Community College, working for | 14 |
| Shodeen Flight Department and Dick Hansen as an aircraft | 15 |
| detailer, and for Lumanair as a lineman, all at Aurora Airport; | 16 |
| and
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| WHEREAS, Zach attended Moody Bible Institute and was | 18 |
| accepted into their flight program in Spokane, Washington and | 19 |
| partnered with Spokane Community College; it was there and at | 20 |
| Blue Sky Arrow in Morris that Zach received his Airframe and | 21 |
| Powerplant mechanic's license; he worked as a lineman at Felts | 22 |
| Field in Spokane during his time there; Zach then moved to | 23 |
| Omaha, Nebraska where he attended Grace University and |
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| graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in the Aviation | 2 |
| Pilot/Business Program; and
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| WHEREAS, During summer breaks, Zach worked at Blue Sky | 4 |
| Arrow in Morris and at Lumanair in Aurora as an A & P mechanic; | 5 |
| after receiving his degree, Zach worked for a short time at the | 6 |
| Tacoma Narrows airport as an A & P mechanic for Associated | 7 |
| Aviation; he moved to Missoula, Montana on May 26, 2008 to | 8 |
| begin his dream job with Neptune Aviation;
Zach wanted to fly | 9 |
| and become a Missionary Pilot and expressed his desire at the | 10 |
| age of two; and | 11 |
| WHEREAS, After moving to Illinois, Zach was involved in | 12 |
| museum work as a docent, detailer, and aircraft restorer; Zach | 13 |
| then became acquainted with EAA 579 and their Young Eagle | 14 |
| program; he spent many hours volunteering and began giving | 15 |
| Young Eagle rides as soon as he obtained his license; the | 16 |
| people at 579 made it possible for Zach to earn his pilot's | 17 |
| license; Zach was awarded a scholarship to attend the EAA's Air | 18 |
| Academy in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; he was awarded the Presidential | 19 |
| Youth Service Award and received it at the unveiling of the | 20 |
| Butch O'Hare Memorial at O'Hare Airport, an aircraft Zach | 21 |
| helped restore; He was given the first ever Eagle award by EAA | 22 |
| 579; and
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| WHEREAS, Zach loved life and was passionate about his faith |
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| in Jesus Christ; he loved his family and adored his little | 2 |
| sister; he enjoyed working, whether it was restoring a car or | 3 |
| an airplane; Zach loved to "turn wrenches" and get his hands | 4 |
| dirty; he loved to travel, fish, hunt, read, ski, and he always | 5 |
| enjoyed a good laugh; he also played piano and acted in local | 6 |
| church productions; he loved to fly because it was there he | 7 |
| felt closest to God;
Zach was compassionate and generous to a | 8 |
| fault, he was loyal, energetic, and he was loved; and
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| WHEREAS, Zach was preceded in death by his grandfather, | 10 |
| Jake Gortsema; and | 11 |
| WHEREAS, Zachary will be greatly missed by his parents, | 12 |
| Steve and Marci; his very special friend and sister, Andriana; | 13 |
| his sweetheart, Ashley Hutton; his "Nan", Grace Gortsema; his | 14 |
| grandparents, Mick and LenaMarie VanderGriend; the many aunts, | 15 |
| uncles, cousins, friends, and people he called family: Dick and | 16 |
| RuthAnn Miller, Steve and Linda Valentine, Joe Cassidy, and | 17 |
| Heather and Melody; he will also be missed by his family at | 18 |
| Neptune Aviation, and his Crew Chief Robert; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL | 20 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with | 21 |
| his family and friends, the passing of Zachary VanderGriend; | 22 |
| and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 2 |
| presented to the family of Zachary VanderGriend as a symbol of | 3 |
| our sincere sympathy.
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