SR2196 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR2196 LRB100 24186 MST 43382 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Leslie D. "Les" Wilson of South Jacksonville, who passed away on November 2, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Les Wilson was born in Kansas City, Missouri to John Leslie and Blanche Ruth Pyle Wilson on April 11, 1928; as a child, he lived in Denver, Cheyenne, and Phoenix before settling in the Los Angeles area; he graduated from Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra, California in 1948, where he played football and was a member of the track team; he married Lois Yingst on September 17, 1950; he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1950 and would be deployed, first to Japan and then to Korea, where he would serve as a truck driver; he was discharged in August of 1952, and he and Lois settled in Anaheim; and

WHEREAS, Les Wilson was a business owner in the paint and wallpaper industry with Lois joining him in an administrative role; he sold his business in 1975 and went to work for Midwest Fasteners in Orange, California; and

WHEREAS, Les Wilson and Lois retired to Silver City, New Mexico in 1988; they celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary with a trip to Europe; while living in Silver City, Les was an active member of American Legion Post 17 and the Honor Guard; Les and Lois enjoyed square dancing with the Rainbow Squares when living in Orange and square danced for years with the White Signal 49er's of Grant County, New Mexico; they were active members of the Grant County Republican Party; Les and Lois moved to South Jacksonville in 2014; in October of 2015, Les visited the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C. as part of a trip with the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight; and

WHEREAS, Les Wilson was preceded in death by his wife, Lois; and

WHEREAS, Les Wilson is survived by his children, Steve Wilson and DeeAnn (Tom) Roome; his grandchildren, Alicia, Stacie, Daniel, Christine, Chris, and John; his great-grandchildren; his very special, look-alike, double cousin, Joann Pyle Sherman; and several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Leslie D. "Les" Wilson 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 Les Wilson as an expression of our deepest sympathy.