SR0206 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0206 LRB100 11303 KLG 21666 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Melvin Ernest Kamholz of Crystal Lake, who passed away on January 23, 2017 at the age of 96; and

WHEREAS, Melvin Kamholz was born in Rockford and raised in Marengo; he attended Marengo High School and excelled at track and basketball; not long after graduating in 1938, he was drafted into the United States Army and served four years in the Pacific theater, becoming proficient with the Browning Automatic Rifle and advancing to the rank of Sergeant; slated to be part of the first wave of the invasion of Japan at the end of the war, he and thousands of his fellow soldiers were spared almost certain death by the dropping of the atomic bombs and surrender of Japan in 1945; he met his wife, Mildred Fiepke, when he first spotted her singing in the church choir and then started buying his cigarettes from the grocery store where she worked as a checker; they were married at Zion Lutheran Church in Marengo in 1950; and

WHEREAS, Melvin Kamholz returned to Marengo after the war and began working as a meter reader at Northern Illinois Gas Company in Crystal Lake; he and his wife started their family soon after and in 1955, moved to their newly-purchased home in Crystal Lake to be closer to his job; he continued at the gas company until he retired at the age of 62, having worked his way up from meter reader to service representative; and

WHEREAS, Melvin Kamholz was always competitive; he excelled at basketball as a young man, and his skills on the court saved him from more than one battle in the Philippines as his commanding officers recruited him to play in tournaments against Navy and Air Force teams; after the war, his skill at softball led him to be a popular player; his greatest claim to fame was hitting a home run off the nationally famous, "King", who pitched for the semi-professional King and his Court; his love and knowledge of baseball led to years of coaching Little League in Crystal Lake; in his later years, he was an avid fisherman, golfer, and bowler; he remained actively pursuing these passions late into life; and

WHEREAS, Melvin Kamholz volunteered at the Crystal Lake Food Pantry and helped with PADS and other church-related charity work after his retirement; he kept himself busy working part-time at Bethesda Thrift Shop, and was an invaluable driver and delivery man for many years at his daughter-in-law's coffee shop, Two-a-T; and

WHEREAS, Melvin Kamholz enjoyed Westerns, reading, playing cards, and he loved watching the Cubs and college basketball; he was an unrepentant jokester and loved embarrassing his family at restaurants every chance he could; when he was not enjoying a beer, he enjoyed the occasional Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet; his massive collection of beer cans and bottles covered two walls of his basement man-cave; and

WHEREAS, Melvin Kamholz was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Ida (Albrecht) Kamholz; and his siblings, Howard Kamholz and Phyllis (Kamholz) Kunde; and

WHEREAS, Melvin Kamholz is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mildred (Fiepke) Kamholz; his eldest daughter, Karen Kamholz; his son, Kurt (Debra) Kamholz; his youngest daughter, Kim (Christopher) Archie; four grandchildren, Josh (Carly) Kamholz, Jenna (Wesley) Janson, Jack Archie, and Kathryn Dziewior; four great-grandchildren, Everett Kamholz, Brittany Fatzinger, and James and Jonathan Janson; one great-great-grandson, Mason Fatzinger; and many close friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Melvin Ernest Kamholz, 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 Melvin Kamholz as an expression of our deepest sympathy.