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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Kathleen Ann Turnquist of Elgin, who
4passed away on March 28, 2017; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Kathleen Turnquist was born in Berwyn to Dorothy
6Spomer and Gustaf L. Larson on September 19, 1957; she
7graduated from Morton East High school in Cicero in 1975; in
8high school, she was involved with the Girl Scouts Cadet
9Program; she was regularly on the honor roll and was a member
10of the National Honor Society; during her senior year, she was
11a contestant in the Cicero Young Junior Miss Contest; she
12attended MacMurray College, which was made possible by several
13scholarships, including the first ever scholarship offered by
14Cicero American Legion Post No. 96; she also worked various
15part-time jobs during college and graduated with honors in only
16three and a half years; she went on to earn a master's degree
17in reading from Northeastern Illinois University in 1983 and
18had more than 40 additional hours of graduate work beyond that;
19during the summer of 1983, she attended an Illinois Education
20Association Summer Leadership Academy at Illinois State
21University in Normal; she married Jerry Turnquist in December
22of 1984; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Kathleen Turnquist enjoyed "playing teacher" with

 

 

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1her friends and her brother, Ken; Ken's special needs prompted
2Kathy to become involved in activities to help developmentally
3disabled youth and young adults; she taught for a semester at
4Winchester Elementary School in Winchester CUSD No. 1, and
5joined Elgin Area School District U-46 in the fall of 1979; she
6first taught at Hanover Countryside Elementary School in
7Streamwood; she also taught at Coleman, Heritage, and Ridge
8Circle elementary schools; she later transferred to regular
9education and taught at Eastview Elementary School, Centennial
10Elementary School, Canton Middle School, and finally at Lowrie
11Elementary School; and
 
12    WHEREAS, In 1992, Kathleen Turnquist was among the nominees
13for the Elgin Junior Woman's Club "Outstanding Young Woman of
14Elgin" award; she was recognized in 1995 when she was named as
15an Education Foundation Grant recipient by the Elgin Chapter of
16the American Association of University Women; she was included
17in Who's Who Among American Teachers; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Kathleen Turnquist was a longtime building
19representative for the Elgin Teachers Association; she served
20on the district's Instructional Council and on numerous other
21committees; in 1985, she was appointed by the Elgin City
22Council to serve on the city's Sesquicentennial Committee; and
 
23    WHEREAS, In 1987, Kathleen Turnquist was a recipient of a

 

 

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1lifesaving kidney donation and became an advocate for organ
2donation; she spoke to driver education classes about organ
3donation, appeared in an Illinois Secretary of State pamphlet,
4and regularly walked in the American Liver Foundation Liver
5Live Walk; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Kathleen Turnquist was preceded in death by her
7parents; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Kathleen Turnquist is survived by her husband,
9Jerry; her sons, Dennis and Eric; her brother, Kenneth Larson;
10many close friends; and numerous students whose lives she
11impacted over her teaching career; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
14Kathleen Ann Turnquist, and extend our sincere condolences to
15her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
16further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Kathleen Turnquist as an expression
19of our deepest sympathy.