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90_HR0179
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1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives are
3 saddened to hear of the death of Doctor Edward Keen of
4 Springfield, Illinois; and
5 WHEREAS, Born on December 8, 1922, in Superior,
6 Wisconsin, Ed took his German and Norwegian roots to Illinois
7 where he grew up in the Village of Libertyville; and
8 WHEREAS, Ed attended Libertyville High School where he
9 played both football and baseball, prior to entering Lake
10 Forest College; and
11 WHEREAS, Ed served courageously and valiantly in the
12 United States Army's 84th Infantry Division, Company L, in
13 Europe during the Second World War, was captured, and
14 subsequently spent six months in a German Prisoner of War
15 camp; and
16 WHEREAS, Having regained his health following the war, Ed
17 completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Lake Forest College
18 in 1948; and
19 WHEREAS, On August 21 of that same year, Ed married Marge
20 Vetterkind and took a job teaching English at New Canton High
21 School, after which he transferred to Centralia High School
22 to continue teaching as well as coach football; and
23 WHEREAS, Ed received his Master's degree at the
24 University of Missouri in 1954; and
25 WHEREAS, Ed then became the principal and later
26 superintendent of the Williamsville/Sherman School District
27 where current State Representative Raymond Poe was a student;
28 and
29 WHEREAS, Ed returned to the University of Illinois, where
30 he received his Ph.D. in 1963; and
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1 WHEREAS, Ed became school superintendent for the Clinton
2 school system, where former State Representative Sam Vinson
3 was then a senior in high school; and
4 WHEREAS, Ed held the position of school superintendent in
5 Putnam County for 17 years
6 WHEREAS, Ed served on the House Republican Research and
7 Appropriations Staff from March 21, 1983 until June, 1993, as
8 the elementary and secondary education analyst; and
9 WHEREAS, Ed continued working for the good of all public
10 school children even after his retirement from staff through
11 his employment as a public education advocate with the
12 Illinois Principals Association.
13 WHEREAS, Ed was active in the Rotary Club, as well as his
14 Army Division's Reunion organization, having once served as
15 the group's National President; and
16 WHEREAS, Ed will long be remembered by legislators,
17 staff, and lobbyists for his cheerful smile, quick wit, and
18 good sense of humor; and
19 WHEREAS, Doctor Edward Keen is survived by his wife,
20 Marge; his loving daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Gary
21 Barton; his granddaughter, Stacy; his sister, Beverly Small;
22 brothers Douglas and Arden; and many relatives and friends;
23 therefore, be it
24 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
25 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
26 mourn with the family of Doctor Edward Keen in their time of
27 loss; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
29 presented to the family of Doctor Edward Keen.
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