SR0798 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0798 LRB101 15118 MST 64242 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of George Jacob Lewis of Quincy, who passed away on July 14, 2019; and

WHEREAS, George Lewis was born in Rushville to Dana Mendel and Gladys Elizabeth Hersman Lewis on August 17, 1930; he was raised working on his family's farm in Hersman, which was named after his great-grandfather Jacob Hersman, and graduated from Brown County High School in Mount Sterling in 1948; in high school, he had many activities and interests, including basketball and working on the school newspaper; he was president of his class and president of the science club; he was a county and state Outstanding 4-H Club member and a delegate to the National 4-H Club Congress; he won 15 local, district, and state IHSA public speaking contests; he was active with Future Farmers of America (FFA), serving as chairman on the state champion FFA Parliamentary Procedure Team; he won the national/regional FFA public speaking contest and placed fourth in the national FFA public speaking finals; he was the president of the local chapter of FFA, as well as the state FFA president; and

WHEREAS, After high school, George Lewis stayed home on the farm and was awarded his American Farmer Degree, an FFA distinction; he was a junior leader of the local 4-H club and was elected as the national president of FFA; as president, he assisted with organizing the FFA of Japan, and he toured the U.S., fulfilling the extensive duties of a national officer; he visited the White House to meet with President Harry Truman; and

WHEREAS, In 1951, George Lewis was active in The Campaign Among Youth For Support of International Christian University in Japan; he won the North American essay contest and was selected as one of two youth from North America to represent this group on a trip to Japan; he appeared before the emperor of Japan and attended the opening of the new university near Tokyo; he married Joan Garrison on June 19, 1951, and they used the trip to Japan as a honeymoon; and

WHEREAS, George Lewis was moderator of the local youth organization, Westminster Fellowship; he was elected moderator of the Presbytery in the state and the national Westminster Fellowship; he was president of the state Interdenominational Christian Youth Organization (ICYO), delegate to the world conference of the ICYO in Toronto, Canada, and executive director of the state ICYO; and

WHEREAS, As a student at the University of Illinois, George Lewis was elected to the board of directors of the university YMCA; he graduated with high honors and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science; he was an honor student in the College of Law and was designated as a Fulbright Scholar to conduct legal research and study law for a year at the University of London; he earned a certificate of completion from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London, and, along with Joan, later co-authored a book detailing their adventure, titled Rolling in the Isles; and

WHEREAS, Upon his return from England, George Lewis reported for active duty with the United States Air Force, where he "fought the Battle of Topeka" (as he called it) as a procurement officer; he took night classes at the Washburn University Law School; he was a member of the Kansas Bar Journal Review Board and authored an article in the Kansas Bar Journal on Law and Electronics; after two years, he was honorably discharged as a captain; he earned a J.D. from the College of Law at the University of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, In 1958, George Lewis moved his family to Quincy and commenced practicing law, which he did successfully for 57 years; he was the senior partner in his law firm, which once had offices in Quincy, Mount Sterling, and Rushville; he served as vice president of the Adams County Bar Association, was a member of the Illinois and American Bar Associations, and served as chairman of the Illinois State Bar Association Committee for Legal Research by Electronics; and

WHEREAS, In 1970, George Lewis was elected as a delegate to the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention; he served as chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Convention and contributed to the re-writing of the Illinois Constitution; and

WHEREAS, In 1980, George ran for Illinois State Senate, falling short against the 48th District incumbent, Mary Lou Kent; many now claim that his loss was Quincy's win, due to the continued contributions he made by remaining a local fixture; and

WHEREAS, George Lewis was president of the Adams County Heart Association and a member of the board of directors of the Good Samaritan Home; he was one of five who organized the first workshop and social center for disabled adults in Adams County and served as president of the board of directors; he provided volunteer service as the attorney for Home Ownership Assistance of Quincy, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, George Lewis was a member of the Adams County Mental Health Board, the Advisory Council of the Quincy High School Vocational Agricultural Department, the board of directors of the Adams County Family Service Agency, Quincy Noon Optimists, Rotary East, and the board of directors of the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County; he was a member of the board of directors and on the executive committee of the Great River Economic Development Foundation; and

WHEREAS, George Lewis served seven years as a member of Quincy's Equal Opportunity Commission and volunteered in his local mentoring program for fifth- and sixth-graders; and

WHEREAS, George Lewis had been a member and elder of the First United Presbyterian Church of Quincy and was most recently a member of the Ellington Presbyterian Church; and

WHEREAS, George Lewis enjoyed numerous activities, including bridge clubs, dominoes, photography, gardening, landscaping, antiques, spending time with family and friends, and exploring numerous countries throughout the world's seven continents; he volunteered to help install shallow wells in Malawi, Africa with the Marion Medical Mission; and

WHEREAS, George Lewis was preceded in death by his wife of almost 66 years, Joan Garrison Lewis; his parents; his daughter, Ronda Kay Lewis; his brother, John Lewis; his brothers-in-law, John Henderson, Keith Delap, and Dave Ford; and his sister-in-law, Katherine "Kay" Rose Governale Lewis; and

WHEREAS, George Lewis is survived by his children, Karen (Stephen) Forte, Sheri (Mike) Jackson, and Gary (Debby Davis) Lewis; his grandchildren, Paul (Jennifer) Forte, Michael (Stephanie Wuerth) Forte, Jesse Jackson, and Mikki Jackson; many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; his brothers and sisters, Jean Delap, Ruth Henderson, Dana (Anita) Lewis, Dick (Cheri Lee) Lewis, Charles (Marney) Lewis, Anne Ford, and Mary (Jack) Garland; numerous cousins; and many nieces and nephews; 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 George Jacob Lewis 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 George Lewis as an expression of our deepest sympathy.