SR0208 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0208 LRB099 11349 MST 32095 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Donald Leo Wendle of Godfrey, who passed away on March 2, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Donald Wendle was born in Alton on January 2, 1934 to Leo Louis and Helen Virginia (nee Groshan) Wendle; following graduation from St. Mary's Elementary School and Alton High School in 1951, he attended Shurtleff College; on October 24, 1959, he married Janis Kathryn Miller at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton; and

WHEREAS, Donald Wendle began his career with Owens-Illinois (O-I) Glass Co. in Alton; by way of the bus and hitch hiking, he completed night classes to earn dual associate degrees in drafting and engineering design from Washington University in 1956; in 1994, he retired from O-I as a manufacturing engineer at the Godfrey Machine Manufacturing facility; and

WHEREAS, Donald Wendle had a life-long passion for golf that began as a young caddy, and includes 3 hole-in-ones; he shot his age several times; he was inducted into the Alton Golf Hall of Fame in 2007; his love for fishing centered on local farm ponds north of Brighton, Canada and the Michigan Upper Penisula; he and his wife enjoyed travelling to elder hostels and other attractions with friends and family throughout the United States and Canada; in 2002, he created detailed drawings of Robert Wadlow's giant chair for artist Jerry McKenna, sculptor of the bronze replica that accompanies the Wadlow statue in Alton; and

WHEREAS, Donald Wendle was a life-long member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and a member of the Knights of Columbus; and

WHEREAS, Donald Wendle was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Virginia (Gin) White, Eugene (Gene), Gerald (Jerry), and Paul; and

WHEREAS, Donald Wendle is survived by his wife, Janis; his 3 children, 9 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren, Anthony (Tony) Wendle, with son, Lucas; Eric and Marci (nee Roberts) Wendle, with children, Paige, Jayne, Peter, Maria, Monica, and Thomas; Anne and Mike Schleeper, with son, Michael, his wife, Heather, and their children, Keyton and Kaden and son, Dustin, his wife, Elisabeth, and their children, Caleb and Nicholas; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Donald Leo Wendle, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Donald Wendle as an expression of our deepest sympathy.