SR1158 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


  

 


 
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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of James E. "Jim" Keefe of Woodstock, who
4passed away on November 21, 2017; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jim Keefe was born in Chicago to James H. and
6Florence M. (Cooney) Keefe on January 13, 1932; his family
7moved to Woodstock in 1938 and he attended St. Mary's School in
8Woodstock through 9th grade, followed by St. Mary's Seminary
9School in Crystal Lake, where he had planned to become a
10priest; he attended college at St. Ambrose University in
11Davenport, Iowa, where during his sophomore year, he was
12drafted, serving stateside in the United States Army as a
13military policeman during the Korean War; he returned to
14college after being discharged and graduated from St. Ambrose
15in 1957; two weeks following his college graduation he married
16Mary Ellen Burmeister at St. Mary Catholic Church in Woodstock;
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, Jim Keefe worked as an insurance agent for over 43
19years, working for Country Companies Insurance for 38 of those
20years; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Jim Keefe was an active member of St. Mary
22Catholic Church throughout his life and a Knight of the Roman

 

 

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1Catholic Order of the Holy Sepulchre; he was a charter member
2of the Woodstock Rotary Club, serving as vice-president when
3the club was founded in 1968; he later served as club president
4and in many other roles, with a record of over 49 years of
5perfect attendance at Rotary meetings; he was a Paul Harris
6fellow; he was elected to the Woodstock City Council in 1969,
7serving two terms, in addition to serving on the Police & Fire
8Commission, the Woodstock Library Board, and the Memorial
9Hospital Board; he was presented with the Buschkopf Award for
10community service in 2002; he was a past member of the
11Woodstock Jaycees, the Lions Club, and the Elks Club; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Jim Keefe loved history and was well-known for his
13"History of Woodstock" slide presentation which he gave to many
14groups over the years; he was also a long-time member of the
15McHenry County Civil War Roundtable serving as treasurer; he
16was an avid photographer who loved to travel and document his
17trips; he traveled all over the world with Mary Ellen; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Jim Keefe was preceded in death by his parents;
19his wife, Mary Ellen; his granddaughter, Sara Schacht; and his
20son-in-law, Richard Anderegg; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Jim Keefe is survived by his children, Kelly
22(Mark) Afeld, Erin (Steve Walters) Anderegg, Patrick
23(Katherine) Keefe, and Quinn Keefe; his grandchildren, Kendra

 

 

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1(Patrick) Johnson, Trevor (Grace) Schacht, Greta (Zachary)
2Walters, Lauren (David Phu) Keefe, Bridget (Ara Pardini) Afeld,
3Hanna Schacht, Joseph Keefe, Hailey Keefe, and Katelyn Keefe;
4his great-grandchild, Ella Schacht; his sister, Jane (Robert)
5Larson; his brothers-in-law, Henry (Kay) Burmeister and Thomas
6(Sally) Burmeister; his sister-in-law, Kathleen (Robert)
7Hemsen; many nieces and nephews; and numerous Rotary Exchange
8students from all over the world who were hosted by Jim and
9Mary Ellen throughout the years; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12James E. "Jim" Keefe, and extend our sincere condolences to his
13family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
14further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of Jim Keefe as an expression of our
17deepest sympathy.