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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of George K. Knudsen of Pontiac, who passed
4away on October 24, 2014; and
 
5    WHEREAS, George Knudsen was born on August 20, 1936 in
6Dwight; his parents were George Nelson and Leila Gertrude (nee
7Parker) Knudsen; he married Germaine Centko on July 5, 1958;
8and
 
9    WHEREAS, A native of Livingston County, George Knudsen was
10educated in Dwight schools; he subsequently attended Illinois
11Wesleyan University and graduated from Illinois State
12University; he was also a graduate of the United States Army
13Command and General Staff College and the National Defense
14University; and
 
15    WHEREAS, George Knudsen enlisted in the Illinois National
16Guard 129th Infantry Regiment, Company B as a private in 1959,
17the same battalion in which his great-grandfather served in
18during the Civil War; being the son of a Danish immigrant, it
19was his privilege to serve on active duty in the Army Reserve
20and in the Illinois National Guard; his service included
21serving the State of Illinois and its citizens in times of
22floods, natural disasters, and civil disturbances; he retired

 

 

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1at the rank of colonel in 1991, after 32 years of dedicated
2service; and
 
3    WHEREAS, George Knudsen was the recipient of numerous
4awards and decorations for his service, including the Army
5Commendation Medal, the Army Reserve Components Achievement
6Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve
7Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Illinois Long and
8Honorable Service Medal; and
 
9    WHEREAS, George Knudsen retired from a management position
10at Caterpillar, Inc. after more than 40 years of service in
111996; following his retirement, he remained active in veterans'
12affairs, having served as Chairman of the Livingston County
13Veterans Assistance Commission and as a member of the
14Livingston County Board; he also worked on restoring the
15Livingston County Poor Farm Cemetery for 5 years, worked on the
16Lincoln statue on the Livingston County Courthouse lawn, and
17was a speaker at local Memorial Day celebrations for many
18years; and
 
19    WHEREAS, George Knudsen was a member of the Reserve
20Officers Association of the United States, St. Mary's Catholic
21Church in Pontiac, Cursillo, the American Legion, the Knights
22of Columbus (Fourth Degree), the Benevolent and Protective
23Order of Elks, the National Guard Association of Illinois, and

 

 

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1the National Guard Association of the United States; he was
2also a life member of American Veterans and served as a member
3of the Color and Honor Guard of the combined American Veterans;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, George Knudsen was preceded in death by his
6parents and a daughter, Frances; and
 
7    WHEREAS, George Knudsen is survived by his wife, Germaine;
8a son, G. Christian (Julie) Knudsen; 2 daughters, Kay (David)
9Heller and Kim (Jeffrey) Longbons; 6 grandchildren, Letitia and
10Grace Longbons, William Heller, and Sadie, Maya, and Gavin
11Knudsen; and a brother, Thomas Knudsen; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his
14family and friends, mourn the passing of George K. Knudsen; and
15be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to the family of George Knudsen as an expression of
18our sympathy.