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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of our friend and colleague, former Illinois
4State Senator Ray Soden of Wood Dale, who passed away on July
522, 2012; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Ray Soden was born on March 26, 1924, in Chicago;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, Ray Soden served his country as a member of the
9United States Navy during World War II, having enlisted soon
10after the bombing of Pearl Harbor; during his service with the
11Navy, he served as a Sonarman 3rd Class on the USS Claxton and
12took part in the invasion of North Africa in November of 1942,
13and, in the Pacific Theater, he saw action in Okinawa, Saipan,
14Guam, Leyte Gulf, and Iwo Jima; he was the recipient of the
15European and Asiatic Campaign Medals and 7 Battle Stars for his
16service; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Following his military service, Ray Soden
18returned to Illinois and went to work for the Illinois Bell
19Telephone Company, where he was employed for 35 years until his
20retirement in 1982; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Ray Soden dedicated his life to public service and

 

 

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1was active in many levels of local, county, and State
2government; he served as a member of the DuPage County Board
3from 1982 to 1992, and served as president of the Forest
4Preserve District of DuPage County from 1988 to 1992; in 2003,
5he was appointed to a seat in the Illinois Senate following the
6retirement of former Senate President James "Pate" Philip;
7during his tenure in the Senate, he served on the Senate
8Revenue Committee; after serving the remainder of Senator
9Philip's term, he chose not to run for re-election; and
 
10    WHEREAS, During his 20 months as State Senator, Ray Soden
11earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues by handling
12his duties with the ease and aplomb of a veteran lawmaker;
13lawmakers and staff knew Senator Soden as a friendly person
14whose gentlemanly elegance evoked a more gracious era and his
15easy smile and kindness were appreciated during long hours of
16debate on the Senate floor; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Ray Soden was very active in the field of
18veterans' affairs; he was a lifelong member of Tioga Post 2149,
19Veterans of Foreign Wars; as a member of the VFW, he rose
20through the ranks of the local, State, and national
21organizations and served as the National Commander-in-Chief of
22the VFW from 1973 to 1974; he served as chairman of the Voice
23of Democracy Committee, vice-chairman of the National Security
24and Foreign Affairs Committee, and chairman of the National

 

 

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1Bicentennial Committee; he served on the National Convention
2Committee and served as President of the VFW National
3Convention Corporation; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Ray Soden was active in many civic projects and
5was a member of several civic organizations, including the
6Lions and Kiwanis; he was president of the Oak Park and
7Bensenville Lions Clubs and the Telephone Pioneers; he was
8named Wood Dale Citizen of the Year in 2001; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Ray Soden was an accomplished singer who performed
10on the National Barn Dance program on WLS-AM and shared the
11microphone with such stars as George Gobel, Lulabelle and
12Scotty, Homer and Jethro, Red Foley, and Andy Williams; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Ray Soden is survived by his loving wife of 65
14years, Shirley; his children, Raylene (Dennis) Boyd, Kirk
15(Roxanne) Soden, and Pat (Greg) Breeze; his grandchildren, Dawn
16(Steve) Wedll, Douglas (Michelle) Barger III, Michael
17(Elizabeth) Boyd, James (Jennifer) Breeze, Dianne (Peter)
18Pecharich, and Kristy (Todd) Wyatt; his 10
19great-grandchildren; and his many nieces and nephews;
20therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
22ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with

 

 

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1his family and friends, the passing of Ray Soden; and be it
2further
 
3    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4presented to the family of Ray Soden as an expression of our
5sympathy.