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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | ||||||
3 | learn of the death of Robert Birney, who passed away on | ||||||
4 | September 25, 2018 at the age of 77; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Robert Birney was born in Freeport, Ohio on | ||||||
6 | October 19, 1940; he helped his father run the family's | ||||||
7 | ancestral farm that grew into a large-scale turkey ranch; | ||||||
8 | during these early years, he developed the remarkable ability | ||||||
9 | to fix anything and everything, a skill that made him the "just | ||||||
10 | ask Bob" resource for his neighbors and friends; he graduated | ||||||
11 | from Kent State University with a degree in journalism in 1962; | ||||||
12 | during college, he served as the vice president of the student | ||||||
13 | council for three years, president of the interfraternity | ||||||
14 | council, and chair of the student faculty union; he also worked | ||||||
15 | part-time as a reporter and photographer at the university and | ||||||
16 | for several area newspapers; he then received a graduate | ||||||
17 | assistantship and continued his education at the University of | ||||||
18 | Vermont, where he studied political science; and
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19 | WHEREAS, Robert Birney held a full-time position in | ||||||
20 | institutional research at the University of Vermont; he then | ||||||
21 | accepted a position at SUNY Albany, New York, where he launched | ||||||
22 | his lifelong career in designing computer-based information | ||||||
23 | systems; he held leadership positions at DePaul University, |
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1 | American Hospital Supply-Baxter International, and Phillip | ||||||
2 | Morris-Kraft Inc.; he was also a consultant for Deloitte & | ||||||
3 | Touche, where he managed a broad range of corporate and | ||||||
4 | government engagements, both locally and nationally; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Robert Birney served in the National Guard and met | ||||||
6 | his wife, Hilda, while in New York; they married in 1969 and | ||||||
7 | moved to Oak Park in 1972; they bought an E.E. Roberts house | ||||||
8 | surrounded by gardens that they developed over the years; after | ||||||
9 | retirement, he became more engaged with his gardens; he created | ||||||
10 | a large koi pond that was featured one year on the annual Oak | ||||||
11 | Park and River Forest Garden Walk; he later converted it to an | ||||||
12 | eco-friendly water retention reservoir; when a 100-year-old | ||||||
13 | elm tree in his back yard died, he created a 12'x12' pergola to | ||||||
14 | provide shaded seating; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Robert Birney enjoyed traveling, was an avid | ||||||
16 | reader, a news follower, especially the New York Times, and a | ||||||
17 | stock trader; feeding his lifelong thirst for knowledge and | ||||||
18 | insatiable inquisitiveness in how things worked, he was a | ||||||
19 | relentless collector of hand tools and found objects that he | ||||||
20 | restored or repurposed; and
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21 | WHEREAS, Engaging and entertaining, Robert Birney was a | ||||||
22 | humorous storyteller; those who loved him will fondly remember | ||||||
23 | the time at a local seafaring restaurant across the street from |
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1 | Nantasket Beach; his wit and delight made the evening a special | ||||||
2 | party for all; and
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3 | WHEREAS, Robert Birney is survived by his wife, Hilda, and | ||||||
4 | his brother, Stanley; therefore, be it
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5 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | ||||||
6 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
7 | Robert Birney and extend our sincere condolences to his family, | ||||||
8 | friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
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9 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
10 | presented to the family of Robert Birney as an expression of | ||||||
11 | our deepest sympathy.
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