SR0830 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0830 LRB101 14994 MST 64541 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of William F. Bike, who passed away on September 24, 2019 at the age of 96; and

WHEREAS, William Bike was born on February 7, 1923, the fifth of six children of Frank and Margaret Bike, and was raised in the Bucktown area of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, William Bike worked in his family's bakery until the Great Depression forced it to close; he decided to leave Chicago and travel the road after completing his sophomore year at Lane Tech High School in 1939; he did this "so his family would have one less mouth to feed"; and

WHEREAS, William Bike traveled across the United States by hitchhiking and hopping on freight trains, joining the 2 million people who "rode the rails"; he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and worked odd jobs; he gained many skills, such as construction and auto repair; and

WHEREAS, William Bike traveled the country and had many stories to tell about his adventures; once, he was arrested for vagrancy in Texas, and the town came to see the desperado that was spending the night in jail; he also snuck his way into California when their borders were closed to immigrants from other states by hitchhiking with a Californian returning home; and

WHEREAS, William Bike settled in Los Angeles and worked in a restaurant and later a factory; on December 7, 1941, he was on a streetcar when he heard that the United States had entered World War II; he signed up to work as a civilian employee of the U.S. Army and went to Alaska to construct air bases; and

WHEREAS, William Bike later joined the armed services as a sailor in the United States Merchant Marine, the branch that had the highest casualty rate during the war and did not gain recognition as a service branch or part of the military until 1988; he served from 1942 to 1943 and was assigned to be a baker on various ships bound for South America carrying supplies and equipment; these seamen, providing the crucial service of getting war materials to the troops, risked their lives because enemy ships treated them like war ships even though they had civilian crew; and

WHEREAS, William Bike completed two years in the Pacific with the Merchant Marine and then joined the Army as a private; he was decorated with a Good Conduct Medal and a World War II Service Medal; he was a triple veteran of World War II, a civilian employee of the U.S. Army, a Merchant Marine, and a private in the Army; and

WHEREAS, William Bike returned to his home state of Illinois and built a house in Lockport; he then returned to Bucktown and became a driver for Checker Taxi Chicago; and

WHEREAS, William Bike met a Bucktown girl, Jean Smolen, and they were married in 1954 at St. Hedwig's Roman Catholic Church; they had a son, William S. Bike, in 1957; they lived in Logan Square, where they attended St. Sylvester's Roman Catholic Parish, and the North Center communities of Chicago before they moved to River Grove; and

WHEREAS, In 1959, William Bike bought a truck and worked as a driver for Peerless Enameling and Japanning Co.; he continued to work as a truck driver until his retirement in 1987; he worked for Nick Totoni & Sons Trucking and the Stockyards Packing Co.; during these jobs, he became a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters; and

WHEREAS, At the conclusion of its Tribute to Veterans Motorcycle Ride in Oak Lawn on June 29, 2019, William Bike was honored by the Teamsters Local 700 for his World War II service and his service to the Teamsters; and

WHEREAS, William Bike was known to always have a side business going, selling Christmas paper, clock radios, lamps, and even baked goods; he invested in rental properties for a period and bought food for poorer tenants, when they were in need; he also worked part time at the Gazette Chicago newspaper in circulation and was a member of the American Legion; and

WHEREAS, William Bike and his wife eventually moved to the Autumn Green at Wright Campus retirement community on Chicago's Northwest Side; after his retirement until Jean passed away in 2014, they spent nearly all their time together, only parting when William went to the health club or his job at the newspaper; they also spent a lot of time with Jean's sister, Mary Smolen; and

WHEREAS, William Bike had great health; he became a vegetarian from ages 50 to 70; he was dedicated to working out and would often be mistaken for his son's brother; he eventually relocated to the Illinois Veterans Home in Manteno; he visited Washington, D.C. through Honor Flight Chicago and got to see the war memorials and the National Air and Space Museum; and

WHEREAS, William Bike was lifelong best friends with his brother, Richard Bike, and was lovingly referred to as Big Bill by his daughter-in-law; he had a wacky sense of humor but was incredibly kind and loving, as well as loyal and quirky; he was a great story-teller, a unique individual, and an amazing father; and

WHEREAS, William Bike was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jean; his brothers, Joseph LeBike, Frank Bike, Richard Bike, and John Bike; his sister, Jean Bike Kania; and his sister-in-law, Mary Smolen; and

WHEREAS, William Bike is survived by his son, William S. Bike; his daughter-in-law, Anne Nordhaus-Bike; his friend, Susan Fong; and several 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 William F. Bike 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 William Bike as an expression of our deepest sympathy.