SR0571 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0571 LRB099 12233 MST 35090 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Virgil R. Smith of Woodstock, who passed away on March 22, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Virgil Smith was born in Aurora on June 30, 1924 to George D. and Myrtle E. (nee Ebinger) Smith; he grew up on his parents' dairy farm in Oswego and graduated from East Aurora High School; he served in the United States Navy Air Corps from November of 1943 to September of 1945; he earned his bachelor's degree from Cornell College in 1949 and married Jean Ann Trego in Mt. Vernon, Iowa on September 17, 1949; and

WHEREAS, Virgil Smith and his wife moved to Woodstock in 1952 when he was hired as McHenry County Farm Bureau manager; he became a stock broker in 1957 and thrived in his work for the next 50 years, building the Woodstock A.G. Edwards & Sons office into one of the most successful offices in the firm's 100-year history and into one of the most respected financial institutions in McHenry County; and

WHEREAS, Virgil Smith loved Woodstock deeply; for his commitment to making Woodstock a better place, he was honored with the Harold Buschkopf Award and recognized as Woodstock's Man of the Year; he was a champion of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, President of Woodstock Little League during its crucial building years, a member of the 1963-64 All-America City committee, Chairman of the Memorial Hospital Foundation Board, and an active member of First United Methodist Church of Woodstock for 62 years; his passion for Woodstock led to his spearheading efforts to keep the Square vibrant, including refurbishing the Woodstock Theatre, the Woodstock Square Mall, and the Woodstock Exchange Building, which were catalysts in the passage of a referendum establishing a special taxing district to enhance the Square; passage of a Woodstock School District 200 referendum and a fundraising campaign for the Opera House followed; and

WHEREAS, Virgil Smith was preceded in death by his wife, Jean; his brother and sister-in-law, J. George and Ann Smith; and his sister and brother-in-law, Elaine Smith Crane and Paul Crane; and

WHEREAS, Virgil Smith is survived by his daughter, Marcia (David) Smith Erwin; his 2 sons, Martin (Betty Hamilton) Smith and Gordon (Karen Wrage) Smith; his 9 grandchildren, Michael (Karen) Erwin, Derek Erwin, Melissa (Kyle) Hamilton-Smith Lukey, Mackenzie (Ben) Erwin Keenan, Melinda Hamilton-Smith, Karsten Hamilton-Smith, Tyler Smith, Katrina Hamilton-Smith, and Grayson Smith; and his 4 great-grandchildren, Brighton Haverland, Carter Erwin, Brooks Keenan and Beckett Keenan; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Virgil R. Smith, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Virgil Smith as an expression of our deepest sympathy.