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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of our
4 former colleague L. Bruce Richmond of Murphysboro, who passed
5 away on April 13, 2008; and
 
6     WHEREAS, L. Bruce Richmond was born on October 17, 1920 in
7 Johnson City; his parents were John and Dottie Richmond; he
8 married LaCleeta Patterson on January 18, 1940; she passed away
9 on December 4, 1999; he later married Elizabeth (Rose) Fear;
10 and
 
11     WHEREAS, L. Bruce Richmond served in the United States Navy
12 during World War II, where he served as a ship painter at Pearl
13 Harbor; his artistic ability led him to learn the trade of
14 sign-painting while in Hawaii, where he also began painting
15 portraits; he later settled in Murphysboro with his family,
16 where he was owner-operator of Artcraft Sign Service for more
17 than 30 years; and
 
18     WHEREAS, L. Bruce Richmond was active in politics for most
19 of his life as an alderman in Murphysboro for many years and as
20 mayor of Murphysboro in the late 1960s and early 1970s; in
21 1974, he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly, where he
22 served as a member of the House of Representatives with

 

 

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1 distinction until his retirement in 1993; and
 
2     WHEREAS, As a member of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives, L. Bruce Richmond was the primary sponsor of
4 the annual appropriations bill for SIU and funding for the
5 university's projects; he was the original sponsor and
6 supporter for state funding for the SIU Business Incubator, now
7 known as the Dunn-Richmond Center; he was also the chief
8 sponsor of bills obtaining funding for the renovation of Davies
9 Gym, Touch of Nature, Pulliam Hall and many other projects at
10 SIU; in addition, he was able to bring funding for many
11 projects in Southern Illinois as chairman of the Agriculture
12 Committee and member of Appropriations; and
 
13     WHEREAS, After retiring, L. Bruce Richmond continued
14 honing his artistic skills, painting dozens of still life
15 animals and portraits; he also did walnut relief carving of
16 birds and animals; in the late 1990s, his artwork was displayed
17 at an exhibit at the Museum Gallery at SIUC; and
 
18     WHEREAS, L. Bruce Richmond was an avid golfer and
19 fisherman; he was an active member of the Elks Club, where he
20 served as state president in 1963, and was a national ritual
21 judge and officer for several years afterwards; and
 
22     WHEREAS, L. Bruce Richmond was preceded in death by his

 

 

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1 wife, LaCleeta; his son, Randall; his parents; and his two
2 sisters and three brothers; and
 
3     WHEREAS, L. Bruce Richmond is survived by his wife,
4 Elizabeth; his son, Michael, and daughter-in-law, Linda; his
5 daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Richard Morris; his stepson,
6 Kevin Fear; his stepdaughter, Mary George; his grandchildren,
7 Amy Cheatham and Sarah Richmond; his step-granddaughter, Emma;
8 his great-grandson, Noah Cheatham; and his many nieces and
9 nephews; and
 
10     WHEREAS, L. Bruce Richmond will be remembered by all who
11 knew and loved him for his wisdom, dry wit, and quiet strength;
12 therefore, be it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
15 mourn, along with his family and friends, the death of our
16 former colleague L. Bruce Richmond; and be it further
 
17     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18 presented to the family of L. Bruce Richmond as an expression
19 of our sympathy.