SR1361 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1361 LRB101 21891 LAW 72853 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of John Matthew Sant of Danville, who passed away on July 20, 2020; and

WHEREAS, John Sant was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Martin Francis Sant and Ida Louise Shourek on February 8, 1923; he graduated from Westinghouse High School; he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, where he was a B-17 pilot in the 15th Air Corps in Foggia, Italy; he was assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing, 463rd Bomb Group, 774th Bomb Squad; during that time, he flew 32 missions and was shot down twice; he was captured by the Nazis and spent 10 months in the POW camp Stalag Luft 1 near Barth, Germany; after the war, he studied mechanical engineering at Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie-Mellon University, where he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and graduated in 1948; he married Wanda Jean Schaeffer on May 21, 1949, and she preceded him in death on July 8, 1998; and

WHEREAS, John Sant began his career in machinery manufacturing at Federal Machine and Welding in Warren, Ohio and stayed with the company in its many forms; moving to Danville in 1976, he went to work with Berkley-Davis as the vice president of engineering; he retired as general manager of Berkley-Davis in Danville in 1988; he was honored with the Resistance Welders of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002; and

WHEREAS, John Sant was actively involved in many professional, charitable, and civic organizations; he was a member of First Presbyterian Church and served as clerk of session in both Warren, Ohio and in Danville; he also served as the ushering team captain into his early 90s; he was the president of the Danville Engineering Club and a lifetime member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; he was a 70-year member of St. John's Trinity Masonic Lodge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; he was a 75-year member of American Legion Post 351 in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania; he was a 32-year member of the Danville Elks; he was also a longtime member of the Danville Country Club and a former member of the Danville Boat Club; he served as president of CRIS Senior Services Board and president of the Piankeshaw Boy Scout Council, where he was presented the prestigious Silver Beaver Award in 1975; he also served as commander of the Illiana Ex-POW Chapter; he was a lifetime member of the Vermilion County War Museum; he volunteered in the AARP's Tax Aid Program for 20 years; he was very active in Golden Kiwanis and served as a past president and treasurer; he received the Kiwanis Distinguished Service Award and the George F. Hixon Award in 2000; and

WHEREAS, John Sant was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; his brother, Martin Francis Sant Jr.; and his sister, Martha Anne Sant Martinez; and

WHEREAS, John Sant is survived by his children, Mary Sant (Ken) Skinner, John Matthew (Maura) Sant Jr., and Edward Schaeffer Sant; his grandchildren, Charles B. (Kristy) Cain and Aaron John (Brittany) Cain; and his great-granddaughters, Lauren Cain, Sarah Cain, and Lydia Cain; 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 John Matthew Sant 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 John Sant as an expression of our deepest sympathy.