SR1326 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1326 LRB101 21783 MST 72734 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Ellen F. Whalen, who passed away on April 10, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Ellen Whalen was born in Washington, D.C. to Bernard and Belle (Simonson) Foucault on January 19, 1937; she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Cincinnati in 1958 and was a member of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International; she completed two years of graduate school, also at the University of Cincinnati; she married James Joseph Whalen, and they settled in Waukegan in the 1960s; and

WHEREAS, Ellen Whalen's specialty was psychiatric nursing; she served as a registered nurse at several hospitals, including Victory Memorial, St. Therese, and the VA hospital in North Chicago; she was also a certified addictions counselor and worked in the chemical dependency unit at Victory Memorial Hospital and at the Lake County Alcoholism Treatment Center; and

WHEREAS, Ellen Whalen enjoyed being a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader and orchestrated many scouting adventures; she played piano, and all six of her children played various musical instruments; she enjoyed celebrating her Norwegian heritage and had become an accomplished rosemaler, winning numerous awards; she enjoyed attending estate and garage sales and often bought wood products to sand, repair, and paint; and

WHEREAS, Ellen Whalen was an active member of the Sons of Norway, first the Kenosha chapter and more recently the Racine chapter; she was a member of St. Anastasia Church and more recently St. Dismas Church; and

WHEREAS, Ellen Whalen was preceded in death by her husband, James, and her parents; and

WHEREAS, Ellen Whalen is survived by her children, Anne O'Connell (Larry Obermeyer), Thomas (Fran Mason), Matthew (Barbara), Sue, Joseph (Carolyn), and Daniel (Mina) Whalen; her grandchildren, Patrick O'Connell and Rebecca, Emily, Kristen, Katelyn, Gregory, Sam, Edward, Andrew, and Jayden Whalen; her brother, James (Bea) Foucault; her sister, Kathleen (Charles) Van Tilberg; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends; 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 Ellen F. Whalen and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Ellen Whalen as an expression of our deepest sympathy.