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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of William F. Bike, who passed away on
4September 24, 2019 at the age of 96; and
 
5    WHEREAS, William Bike was born on February 7, 1923, the
6fifth of six children of Frank and Margaret Bike, and was
7raised in the Bucktown area of Chicago; and
 
8    WHEREAS, William Bike worked in his family's bakery until
9the Great Depression forced it to close; he decided to leave
10Chicago and travel the road after completing his sophomore year
11at Lane Tech High School in 1939; he did this "so his family
12would have one less mouth to feed"; and
 
13    WHEREAS, William Bike traveled across the United States by
14hitchhiking and hopping on freight trains, joining the 2
15million people who "rode the rails"; he joined the Civilian
16Conservation Corps and worked odd jobs; he gained many skills,
17such as construction and auto repair; and
 
18    WHEREAS, William Bike traveled the country and had many
19stories to tell about his adventures; once, he was arrested for
20vagrancy in Texas, and the town came to see the desperado that
21was spending the night in jail; he also snuck his way into

 

 

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1California when their borders were closed to immigrants from
2other states by hitchhiking with a Californian returning home;
3and
 
4    WHEREAS, William Bike settled in Los Angeles and worked in
5a restaurant and later a factory; on December 7, 1941, he was
6on a streetcar when he heard that the United States had entered
7World War II; he signed up to work as a civilian employee of
8the U.S. Army and went to Alaska to construct air bases; and
 
9    WHEREAS, William Bike later joined the armed services as a
10sailor in the United States Merchant Marine, the branch that
11had the highest casualty rate during the war and did not gain
12recognition as a service branch or part of the military until
131988; he served from 1942 to 1943 and was assigned to be a
14baker on various ships bound for South America carrying
15supplies and equipment; these seamen, providing the crucial
16service of getting war materials to the troops, risked their
17lives because enemy ships treated them like war ships even
18though they had civilian crew; and
 
19    WHEREAS, William Bike completed two years in the Pacific
20with the Merchant Marine and then joined the Army as a private;
21he was decorated with a Good Conduct Medal and a World War II
22Service Medal; he was a triple veteran of World War II, a
23civilian employee of the U.S. Army, a Merchant Marine, and a

 

 

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1private in the Army; and
 
2    WHEREAS, William Bike returned to his home state of
3Illinois and built a house in Lockport; he then returned to
4Bucktown and became a driver for Checker Taxi Chicago; and
 
5    WHEREAS, William Bike met a Bucktown girl, Jean Smolen, and
6they were married in 1954 at St. Hedwig's Roman Catholic
7Church; they had a son, William S. Bike, in 1957; they lived in
8Logan Square, where they attended St. Sylvester's Roman
9Catholic Parish, and the North Center communities of Chicago
10before they moved to River Grove; and
 
11    WHEREAS, In 1959, William Bike bought a truck and worked as
12a driver for Peerless Enameling and Japanning Co.; he continued
13to work as a truck driver until his retirement in 1987; he
14worked for Nick Totoni & Sons Trucking and the Stockyards
15Packing Co.; during these jobs, he became a member of the
16International Brotherhood of Teamsters; and
 
17    WHEREAS, At the conclusion of its Tribute to Veterans
18Motorcycle Ride in Oak Lawn on June 29, 2019, William Bike was
19honored by the Teamsters Local 700 for his World War II service
20and his service to the Teamsters; and
 
21    WHEREAS, William Bike was known to always have a side

 

 

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1business going, selling Christmas paper, clock radios, lamps,
2and even baked goods; he invested in rental properties for a
3period and bought food for poorer tenants, when they were in
4need; he also worked part time at the Gazette Chicago newspaper
5in circulation and was a member of the American Legion; and
 
6    WHEREAS, William Bike and his wife eventually moved to the
7Autumn Green at Wright Campus retirement community on Chicago's
8Northwest Side; after his retirement until Jean passed away in
92014, they spent nearly all their time together, only parting
10when William went to the health club or his job at the
11newspaper; they also spent a lot of time with Jean's sister,
12Mary Smolen; and
 
13    WHEREAS, William Bike had great health; he became a
14vegetarian from ages 50 to 70; he was dedicated to working out
15and would often be mistaken for his son's brother; he
16eventually relocated to the Illinois Veterans Home in Manteno;
17he visited Washington, D.C. through Honor Flight Chicago and
18got to see the war memorials and the National Air and Space
19Museum; and
 
20    WHEREAS, William Bike was lifelong best friends with his
21brother, Richard Bike, and was lovingly referred to as Big Bill
22by his daughter-in-law; he had a wacky sense of humor but was
23incredibly kind and loving, as well as loyal and quirky; he was

 

 

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1a great story-teller, a unique individual, and an amazing
2father; and
 
3    WHEREAS, William Bike was preceded in death by his parents;
4his wife, Jean; his brothers, Joseph LeBike, Frank Bike,
5Richard Bike, and John Bike; his sister, Jean Bike Kania; and
6his sister-in-law, Mary Smolen; and
 
7    WHEREAS, William Bike is survived by his son, William S.
8Bike; his daughter-in-law, Anne Nordhaus-Bike; his friend,
9Susan Fong; and several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12William F. Bike and extend our sincere condolences to his
13family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
14further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of William Bike as an expression of our
17deepest sympathy.