SR1281LRB101 21816 ECR 72770 r


  
1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 
3learn of the death of William "Bill" Ahrenkiel of Athens, who 
4passed away on July 5, 2020; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Bill Ahrenkiel was born to William Sr. and Marie 
6Ahrenkiel in rural Sangamon County on January 24, 1926; he 
7graduated from Athens High School, where he had been a starter 
8on the 1944 Warrior basketball team; while in school, he 
9enlisted in the U.S. Navy and immediately reported for active 
10duty  in May of 1944; he served on a destroyer escort along the 
11Icelandic route and was involved in the battle of the North 
12Atlantic;  after the war, he joined the Army Reserve and was 
13called to active duty at the start of the Korean War;  he served 
14two years in the U.S. Army before returning to civilian life; 
15and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, Bill Ahrenkiel was employed by the State of 
17Illinois as a driver's license examiner, with the park service, 
18and with the Illinois Department of Transportation; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, Bill Ahrenkiel was a great help to the Athens 
20Municipal Library's Special Collections Room, where he shared 
21pertinent historical information about Athens; and
  
 
 
 
SR1281- 2 -LRB101 21816 ECR 72770 r

1    WHEREAS, Bill Ahrenkiel was well known for his fishing and 
2hunting skills; he raised and trained hunting dogs and was 
3acclaimed for his duck decoy, duck call, and fishing lure 
4collections; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Bill Ahrenkiel was preceded in death by his 
6parents; his wife of 46 years, Mary Ahrenkiel; and his two 
7sisters, Ruth Austin and Evelyn Ehrengart; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, Bill Ahrenkiel is survived by his brother, Richard 
9Ahrenkiel; his  nephews, Richard and Daniel Austin, John 
10Ehrengart, Richard Ahrenkiel Jr., and S. Phillip Ahrenkiel; his 
11niece, Jane (Ahrenkiel) Hittle; and his numerous grandnephews 
12and grandnieces; therefore, be it
  
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL 
14ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of

15William "Bill" Ahrenkiel and extend our sincere
condolences to 
16his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
him; and be it 
17further
  
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

19presented to the family Bill Ahrenkiel as an expression of
our 
20deepest sympathy.