SR0337 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0337 LRB101 11332 MST 58324 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death Mary J. Hunt, who passed away on August 22, 2018 at the age of 103; and

WHEREAS, Mary Hunt was born on August 6, 1915 to Margaret and Chester Johnson; she grew up on Forest Avenue in Oak Park, just two blocks from the home of her grandparents, Mary and Henry Hamilton, who served as Oak Park Village President from 1907 to 1909; she spent many summers during her youth with her extended family at the Hamilton summer home, "Glen Carrie", in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin; she had fond memories of trips to Maine to visit her relatives, where she learned to ride a bicycle along a dirt path on her family's farm; and

WHEREAS, Mary Hunt graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1933 and from Stanford University in 1937, where she majored in English; and

WHEREAS, Mary Hunt married Lawrence "Laurie" H. Hunt in 1941 at her parents' home in Oak Park; the couple moved near Washington D.C. due to her husband's service in the U.S. Navy during World War II; after the war, they became residents of River Forest, where they raised a family of seven children; and

WHEREAS, Mary Hunt attended events and kept up with world affairs while a member of the Chicago Council of Foreign Relations (currently CC of Global Affairs); she was active in her community and volunteered as a member of Circle 25 of the Infant Welfare Society; she was a lifelong member of First United Church of Oak Park; and

WHEREAS, Mary Hunt loved to travel and enjoyed trips to England and Europe with her college friends and her family; she relished summer trips to northern Michigan with her family, and in retirement, she and Laurie spent time in Carefree, Arizona; and

WHEREAS, Mary Hunt enjoyed the many cultural offerings of Chicago and regularly attended performances of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and events at the Art Institute with her husband; she and Laurie enjoyed gardening and landscaping; together they maintained a beautiful large yard used for hosting summer gatherings and winter ice skating for the enjoyment of the neighborhood children; Mary enjoyed playing tennis and golf and was a member of the River Forest Tennis Club since 1942 and the Oak Park Country Club; she played the piano and loved to read, fostering her children's interests in music and learning; memories of her sense of adventure, humor, style, and spirit are cherished by her family and friends; and

WHEREAS, Mary Hunt came from a family with a history of accomplishments; her maternal ancestors were among the early settlers in Chicago; her great-great-grandfather, Richard J. Hamilton, was a lawyer and judge and established the first public school in Chicago in 1832; her grandfather, Henry R. Hamilton, authored "The Epic of Chicago" in 1932, detailing the early history of the city; generations of Mary's paternal ancestors lived in Maine since pre-Revolutionary days; and

WHEREAS, Mary Hunt was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Halley Hunt; her children, Lawrence Jr. (the late Katherine) and Douglas (Holly); and her brother, Hamilton (the late Jane) Johnson; and

WHEREAS, Mary Hunt is survived by her children, Thomas (Laurie), Margaret Campbell, David, Elizabeth (Francis), and James (Christie); her grandchildren, Christopher, Caroline (Jon), Laura (Jordan), Darwin (Lindsey), Brian, David, James, Katherine, Thomas, Katelyn, and Anne; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; 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 Mary J. Hunt, and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Mary Hunt as an expression of our deepest sympathy.