SR1178 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1178 LRB101 21344 LAW 71964 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Alan A. Amato of Berwyn, formerly of Oak Park, who passed away on April 8, 2020 at the age of 68; and

WHEREAS, Alan Amato was born on February 7, 1952; he grew up in Chicago's Little Italy at Taylor and Halsted streets; he was a longtime resident of Oak Park; he attended the University of Illinois Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Alan Amato started his professional career as a community organizer with Catholic Charities; he also sold cemetery plots for St. Adalbert Catholic Cemetery in Niles; he was a partner and manager of the Pride Agenda bookstore in Oak Park from 1994 to 1998; he later worked at Tan Travel in Oak Park; he worked at the Art Institute of Chicago's bookstore and gift shop until retirement; and

WHEREAS, Alan Amato was passionate about activism, social justice, and local politics; he was active in the Oak Park Lesbian and Gay Association, now OPALGA+, where he chaired the group's public policy committee; he was instrumental in the passage of Oak Park's landmark Domestic Partnership Registry, which was the first of its kind in Illinois and one of the few in the nation; he formed the Berwyn United Gay and Lesbian Organization (BUNGALO) with a fellow LGB resident; he also volunteered with the Illinois Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which shared offices with OPALGA; he co-chaired the 2007 campaign to elect Oak Park village trustee candidates that were selected by the Village Manager Association; and

WHEREAS, Alan Amato loved to travel and enjoyed good food, good wine, and playing cards; and

WHEREAS, Alan Amato was preceded in death by his parents, Alphonse and Marie "Emily" (Pezzuto) Amato; his brothers, Charles and Felix; his beloved dog, Alice B. Toklas; and his loving cats, Alfie and Pierre; and

WHEREAS, Alan Amato is survived by his cousins, Denise Polerecky, Mary McEnerney, Mary Pezzuto, Judy Jones, Mary Marino, and Phil Amato; 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 Alan A. Amato 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 Alan Amato as an expression of our deepest sympathy.