HR0648 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0648 LRB102 25172 LAW 34435 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Gary G. Matts, who passed away on October 11, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Gary Matts was born on September 16, 1951; he began playing the drums and attending drum lessons by the age of six; he attended Lane Tech High School in Chicago, where he participated in the school orchestra and concert band; he attended the University of Illinois Chicago, where he studied Chemistry in his first year before realizing his preference towards studying music; he then switched to the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University, where he followed his true passion of playing percussion and graduated in 1974; and

WHEREAS, Gary Matts experienced a wonderful decades-long journey through a career in music, which led him to many genres, theaters, venues, and cities; he was known by his musician friends for his sense of humor and his parts in TV commercials and Broadway musicals; and

WHEREAS, Gary Matts shifted his focus from performing to labor leadership when he was elected president of the Chicago Federation of Musicians in 2004, of which he had been a member since 1969; prior to his presidency, he served on the Board of Directors and as assistant to the previous president; his work as president encompassed negotiating several multimillion dollar contracts for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera, and various other musical organizations; he was also a board member of the American Federation of Musicians and Employers' Pension Fund; he retired from union leadership in 2016; and

WHEREAS, Gary Matts' greatest love was his family; he and his wife, Kathy, had three children, Janine, Kevin, and Karen, who all followed musical pursuits well into their teenage years; he was always proud to share the accomplishments of his children on their different paths; he loved spending time with his cherished grandsons, who adored their grandfather; and

WHEREAS, Gary Matts was the husband of Kathy (Scheckel) for almost 45 years; he was the father of Janine (Alex) Silva, Kevin (Brigid) Matts, and Karen Matts; he was the grandfather of Joaquin, Stephen, and Vincent; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Gary G. Matts and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Gary Matts and to the Chicago Federation of Musicians, American Federation of Musicians Local 10-208 President Terryl Jares, as an expression of our deepest sympathy.