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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Roger Douglas Grace of Urbana, who passed
4away on April 3, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Roger Grace was born in Champaign to Lyle and
6Betty (Shade) Grace on March 20, 1947; he graduated with a
7Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics in 1969 and
8married Janis "Jan" Meister in Springfield on September 4,
91982; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Roger Grace began working for the Illinois
11Department of Agriculture in the Division of Markets; he worked
12for the Illinois Energy Office during the oil embargo and fuel
13shortage of 1973-1974; he then began working as a legislative
14aide to Congressman Ed Madigan and moved to Washington, D.C.;
15he became a staff member on the U.S. House of Representatives
16Committee on Agriculture; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Roger Grace joined the family's farming business
18as the fifth generation of his family to continuously work the
19land, which is now in the hands of his son, Stephen; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Roger Grace served on the board of Illini FS and
21as a trustee on the board of the Country Mutual Funds Trust; he

 

 

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1was past director and legislative co-chair of the Champaign
2County Farm Bureau and was a member of the Illinois Corn
3Growers Association and the Illinois Soybean Association (Land
4of Lincoln Soybean Association); he was also a member of the
5Alpha Gamma Rho chapter at Southern Illinois University and
6served on the leadership board of Twin City Bible Church; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Roger Grace was named a News Gazette Farm Leader
8in 2000; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Roger Grace taught his family how to cast a reel,
10the best places to view an eclipse, where to find the best
11local restaurants in any city or country, the importance of
12studying cultural history, and how to grow the best sweet corn;
13he also held the secret to finding artifacts on the farm; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Roger Grace was preceded in death by his parents
15and his brother, Gary; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Roger Grace is survived by his wife, Jan; his
17daughters, Erin (Jason) Watson and Katherine (Manuel) Chavez;
18his son, Stephen; his grandchildren, Carolina Grace Chavez,
19Greyson Roger Watson, and one on the way; his sister, Barbara
20(David) Wilson; his brother, David; and his nephews, Tim Grace,
21Andy Grace, and Eric Wilson; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
2ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
3Roger Douglas Grace and extend our sincere condolences to his
4family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Roger Grace as an expression of our
8deepest sympathy.