SR1602 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1602 LRB101 23425 ECR 74684 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Raymond Lett of Plano, who passed away on January 5, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lett was born to Charles and Martha Lett in Sandwich on December 16, 1934; he married Sharon Ann Trail in Forest City, Iowa on August 20, 1956, and after 54 happy years together, she passed away on September 9, 2010; he married Roycana "Royce" Potter in Warrenton, Virginia on March 8, 2014, and after 4 happy years together, she passed away on December 5, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lett began his career as a county extension agent in Allamakee County in Iowa; he became the vocational agriculture high school teacher in McGregor, Iowa, where he taught for three years; he then returned to his family farm in Sandwich where he was a bi-vocational farmer and vocational agriculture high school teacher; in 1965, he became the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Services (ASCS) County Executive Director in Kendall County; he then served as Area Director and then as the State Director for ASCS in 1970;; and

WHEREAS, Raymond Lett became Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture in 1974; during his tenure, he led the first official delegation to the People's Republic of China shortly after China opened its borders to the Western World in 1978; he was selected to be the Executive Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture John R. Block in 1981 and served for four years; during this time, he led a trade mission between the United States and the Asian world, which included the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia; he directed the visit of President François Mitterrand of France to the U.S. in 1985; he became Assistant Secretary for Marketing and Inspection Services and than the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Interior for International and Trust Territories; he completed his career as a consultant to the Oceanic Institute in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, Ray Lett was Vice President of the International Christian Fellowship over the National Prayer Breakfast Ministries in Washington, D.C.; he and his wife Sharon were lifelong Sunday school teachers; and

WHEREAS, Ray Lett was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Sharon Ann Lett; and his second wife, Roycana "Royce" Potter Lett; and

WHEREAS, Ray Lett is survived by his children, Ann Grandquist, David (Karen) Lett, and Shelley (John) Raymond; and his grandchildren, Josh and Zach Grandquist, Olivia, Charley Ann, Sydney, and Christian Lett, and J.T. (Jacky), Jack (Ashley), and Joey Raymond; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Raymond Lett 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 Raymond Lett as an expression of our deepest sympathy.