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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Karen 
4Beyer, a pillar of the Elgin community and the former CEO of 
5the Ecker Center for Mental Health; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Karen Beyer was a native of Euclid, Ohio; she 
7earned a bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University and 
8three master's degrees; she earned her Master of Social Work 
9from Loyola University; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, Karen Beyer spent 10 years as Director of Health 
11and Human Services for the Village of Hoffman Estates and 
12eight years as the executive director at the Larkin Center; 
13for nearly 20 years, she worked at the Ecker Center to help 
14reshape the conversation around mental health and eliminate 
15the stigma toward people with mental illness; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Karen Beyer  became a figure on the national stage 
17when she appeared before the Supreme Court in 1996 as part of 
18the Jaffee vs. Redmond case to support privacy rights between 
19therapists and patients; she was threatened with jail time for 
20refusing to turn over her notes about counseling sessions with 
21a Hoffman Estates police officer involved in a shooting; the 
22Supreme Court ruled in favor of Beyer and the protection of 
 
 
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1privacy rights; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Karen Beyer retired from the Ecker Center in 2019 
3but continued working as a board member for the Elgin Area 
4League of Women Voters and, most recently, as an appointee to 
5the Township's new 708 Mental Health Board; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Karen Beyer spent her life helping people, 
7especially those who don't often have the opportunity to get 
8help; she leaves behind generations of individuals who she 
9helped during her five decade career in social work and mental 
10health advocacy; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Karen Beyer was strong, creative, and passionate, 
12and her friends remember her as a warrior, a gentle soul, and a 
13blessing; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, Karen Beyer is survived by her husband of 15 
15years, Joe Follrath; her daughter, Jennifer Beyer Zielinski; 
16her stepchildren, Tim Follrath and Hollee Koszewski; and seven 
17grandchildren; therefore, be it
  
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
19HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
20we mourn the passing of Karen Beyer and extend our sincere 
21condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved 
 
 
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1her; and be it further
  
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
3presented to  the family of  Karen Beyer as an expression of our 
4deepest sympathy.