SR0027 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0027 LRB101 07044 ALS 52080 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Martin J. "Marty" Gleason, who passed away on October 1, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Marty Gleason was an active participant in Illinois Democratic politics for more than five decades; a 1955 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he served as the Precinct Committeeman for Precinct 35 in Burr Ridge and, until his death, was an active volunteer for Bill Foster; and

WHEREAS, Marty Gleason served on the delegation to the Democratic National Committee in 1964 and again in 1972; he also served as State Central Committeeman and actively supported the Senate's campaigns for Adlai Stevenson, Paul Douglas, and Paul Simon; in addition to serving in these roles, he also ran for State Senate and for Congress; and

WHEREAS, In 1968, Marty Gleason served as the Deputy Floor Manager for Eugene McCarthy at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago; a 2008 article for the Daily Herald noted, "with convention experiences running the gamut from rubbing shoulders with celebrities Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward to bailing McCarthy volunteers out of jail at one in the morning, Gleason summed it up as 'like rolling over Niagara Falls in a barrel'"; in Arthur Herzog III's book on the McCarthy campaign, Gleason recounted that Stephen A. Mitchell drafted him for the role because he had the reputation of being a "political alley fighter"; and

WHEREAS, Marty Gleason was a true pioneer for the Democratic Party; he was at the forefront of many changes in the political landscape in DuPage and Will Counties, as well as the State of Illinois; he was always willing to accept the challenges that needed his energy and experience and worked for the good of the cause; and

WHEREAS, Marty Gleason was the husband of Nancy Sweeney (Voris) Gleason, the father of Lisa (Jim) Sattler and Cara Guzman, the stepfather of John Sweeney, Colleen (Warren) Jablonsky, Kevin (Shawn) Sweeney, Tim (Tracy) Sweeney, and Peter Sweeney, the grandfather of 16, and the great-grandfather of 12; 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 Martin J. "Marty" Gleason 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 Marty Gleason as an expression of our deepest sympathy.