SR1197 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1197 LRB101 21550 MST 72400 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Raymond S. "Ray" Cachares of Springfield, who passed away on May 14, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Ray Cachares was born to David and June (Zilis) Cachares on January 1, 1954, the first baby of 1954 in the Roseland area on the far south side of Chicago; he received his professional education at Loyola University, the Illinois Institute of Technology, and the University of Illinois at Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Dedicated to public service, Ray Cachares was well-respected in his early roles at the Chicago Crime Commission and the City of Chicago; he then moved downstate to serve in the City of Springfield budget office; and

WHEREAS, Ray Cachares organized the first Springfield St. Patrick's Day parade, which is still held annually; he was also responsible for organizing LincolnFest, which was held many summers in the Capitol Square area in the 1980s; he was instrumental in forming the first United Cerebral Palsy service office in Springfield along with philanthropic efforts for United Cerebral Palsy; he served on the National Board of Directors and received the President's Award in 1998; he was a founding member of the annual Blue Chip Gala, which still continues to assist fundraising for United Cerebral Palsy; and

WHEREAS, Ray Cachares moved back to Chicago and was appointed Commissioner of the Bureau of Streets and Sanitation; he transitioned to overseeing programming, staffing, and operations at Navy Pier; he then served 15 years as the Director of Business Services for the Secretary of State in Springfield and retired in March of 2020; and

WHEREAS, Ray Cachares was heavily involved with the Boy Scouts, first as an Eagle Scout and then with the Exploring Program; he served in local and regional positions and then on the National Explorer Cabinet; and

WHEREAS, Ray Cachares enjoyed cooking, especially grilling, and feeding his family and friends at his Springfield home; he enjoyed traveling the world and was an avid fan of college football and the Chicago Bears; and

WHEREAS, Ray Cachares possessed a work ethic and the motivation for improving the quality and efficiency of all workers under his direction; he cared deeply for those whom he managed and worked to inspire them, never forgetting to acknowledge a job well done; and

WHEREAS, Ray Cachares was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, David; and

WHEREAS, Ray Cachares is survived by his spouse of 22 years, Richard Martineau; his sister, Lou Ann; his brother, George (Carol); his nieces and nephews, David, Ruth, Anna, Julia, and Benjamin; and his great-nephews, Cohen and David Alex; 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 Raymond S. "Ray" Cachares 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 Ray Cachares as an expression of our deepest sympathy.