SR0131 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0131 LRB102 17252 ECR 22722 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Jon Van, who passed away on July 10, 2019 at the age of 75; and

WHEREAS, Jon Van was born Jon Karl Van Dusseldorp to Karl and Charlotte Christianson Van Dusseldorp in Des Moines in 1943; he was their only child; he graduated from North Des Moines High School in 1960, where he was a National Merit Scholar and played trombone in the marching band; he attended the University of Iowa where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1966 and a master's degree in political science in 1968; he was a Sigma Chi and a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society; and

WHEREAS, During his college years, Jon Van covered student unrest at the University of Iowa as a reporter and editor of the student run newspaper, the Daily Iowan; he was also a freelance reporter for the Des Moines Register, where he covered events and city and county governmental news in Iowa City; and

WHEREAS, In 1973, Jon Van began his career at the Chicago Tribune as a metro reporter; within a few years, he started covering science and would often work alongside veteran science reporter Ronald Kotulak; and

WHEREAS, Jon Van had an insatiable curiosity about how things work; he was a multi-talented reporter who covered a wide range of interests and topics, including Mount Saint Helens' eruption, space launches, experiments and discoveries at Fermilab, and the big particle accelerator in Switzerland; after attending the American Association for Advancement of Science annual meeting in 1990, he reported on subjects ranging from carcinogens in food to pigeons or pulsars; in later years at the Tribune, he covered technology for the business section that included subjects such as wireless broadband, nanotechnology, and Illinois' biotech community; and

WHEREAS, Jon Van used his talent for writing to help readers understand complex concepts with ease; he was considered an upbeat subject matter expert and helpful to his colleagues; he retired from the Tribune in 2008; and

WHEREAS, Jon Van was an avid cyclist who was a member of the League of American Wheelmen; he commuted from his home in Oak Park to the Chicago Tribune Tower for many years; he went on cycling trips through the United States and Europe with his cycling companions; in 1974, he participated in a 430-mile trip across Iowa; and

WHEREAS, Jon Van was known for his quick wit and keen observations; he loved beer and jazz; he left a final legacy in his field of interest by donating his body to science; and

WHEREAS, At the time of his passing, Jon Van was survived by his wife, Marsha; his daughters, Kristin Virginia Van and Lisa Van Pasquesi (Scott); his grandchildren, Anthony Van Pasquesi, Ryan Scott Pasquesi, and Tea Denise Pasquesi; his former wife, Denise O'Brien Van; his several cousins; his colleagues; and his many friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Jon Van 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 Jon Van as an expression of our deepest sympathy.