SR0823 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0823 LRB103 39750 ECR 70247 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Bruce M. Hannon, Ph.D., who passed away on February 18, 2024; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hannon was born to of Walter and Kathleen (Phalen) Hannon in Ivesdale; he graduated from Bement High School; he attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he earned his Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering in 1956, his Master of Engineering in Engineering Mechanics in 1965, and his Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics in 1970; he became a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army ROTC program; he married Patricia Coffey; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hannon worked as a registered professional engineer, aiding in the development of a new economic/environmental accounting system that enabled transactions to be recorded in monetary values and energy units in the same system, and this work was based in the Center for Advanced Computation; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hannon then became a professor of geography at the University of Illinois, where he taught for over 40 years; during his tenure, he conducted groundbreaking research, taught courses in biological and earth systems modeling, led dynamic natural resource simulations, and mentored countless undergraduate and graduate students; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hannon was a lifelong environmental advocate, founding the Prairie Rivers Network with his wife, Patricia, in 1967; he cofounded the Committee to Save Allerton Park and the Coalition on American Rivers (COAR); he was also active in the Land Conservation Foundation and the Urbana Courthouse Clock Restoration Project; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hannon registered six patents and received numerous awards and accolades for his work; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hannon was an accomplished hiker and walker; he was an avid photographer and historian for his family; he was affectionately known as "Grandpa Clock" to his great-grandchildren for his love of repairing antique clocks; he also enjoyed planting burr oak seeds; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hannon was preceded in death by his wife; his son, Christopher; and his siblings, Susan Hannon Gorman and John Hannon; and

WHEREAS, Bruce Hannon is survived by his sister, Ellen (Chuck) Wolfenberger; his children, Claire (Brian) Deal, Laura (Scott) Madden, and Brian (Rhonda Starkey) Hannon; his grandchildren, Caitlin (Derek) Peterson, John (Olivier Colombard) Deal, Ellen (Joe) Saathoff, Sean (Regina) Madden, Ben (Genevieve) Madden, Tyler (Camile) Starkey, and Logan (Megan) Hannon; and his great-grandchildren, Violet, George, Mae, Richie, Freddy, Lincoln, Kennedy, and James, with two more on the way; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Bruce M. Hannon, Ph.D. 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 Dr. Hannon as an expression of our deepest sympathy.