SR0251 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0251 LRB102 18232 LAW 25883 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Richard L. "Dick" Thies of Urbana, who passed away on April 10, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Dick Thies was born in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska to Arnold C. and Wilma P. Thies on November 7, 1931; during his upbringing, he lived in a number of locations, including Kimbell and Gering, both in Nebraska, and Riverside, California, where he performed as a boy soprano at the famous Mission Inn; he graduated from Drummer Township High School in Gibson City in 1949; he received a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Illinois in 1953, where he served as the student president of the UI YMCA and a student chair of then-Governor Adlai E. Stevenson II's campaign for U.S. president; he married Marilyn Webber in 1954; he earned his LL.B., later converted to a Juris Doctor, from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1955; he served in the Judge Advocate General's Department of the U.S. Air Force from 1956 to 1958; and

WHEREAS, Dick Thies practiced law at the firm Webber & Thies, P.C. in Urbana with his father-in-law and founder, Judge Charles M. Webber, and his brothers-in-law, Craig R. Webber and Carl M. Webber; his law practice covered a wide range of areas for a diverse client mix; he was particularly fond of the work he did negotiating on behalf of U.S. clients in the People's Republic of China and in helping with the development of Frasca Field in Urbana, the home of his private airplane he flew for 30 years; he was especially proud when he was joined at the firm by his sons, David and John, and later his grandson, Daniel; and

WHEREAS, Dick Thies was a leader in the legal profession and was noted by peers for serving the interests of his clients with skill and integrity; he served as president of the Illinois State Bar Association from 1986 to 1987, and he served in many capacities and held every high office in that organization; he belonged to the American Bar Association (ABA), where he was elected to ABA's Board of Governors in 1988 and was a member of the ABA House of Delegates for 27 years; he also held offices in a number of ABA-related organizations; and

WHEREAS, Dick Thies received many awards during his lifetime, including the Illinois State Bar Association's Award of Merit, the Illinois News Broadcasters' Distinguished Service Award, and the Abraham Lincoln Association's Lincoln the Lawyer Award; he was included in the inaugural class of the Champaign County Bar Association's Pillars of the Bar; and

WHEREAS, Dick Thies was involved in many organizations and institutions in the Champaign-Urbana community; he served as president of the Champaign-Urbana Kiwanis Club and the Urbana Association of Commerce; he was chairman of the Citizens Advisory Board of the Urbana School Board; he was a member the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Urbana Park Board, the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Board, and the boards of the National Academy of Arts and the Champaign-Urbana Urban League; he was a member and an elder of First Presbyterian Church of Urbana; he belonged to the President's Council of the University of Illinois Foundation and the Dean's Club of the University of Illinois College of Law; he was a life member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, where he served on the Alumni Association's Trustee Selection Committee on four occasions; and

WHEREAS, Dick Thies loved and participated in many sports, including the freshman basketball and baseball teams at the University of Illinois; he taught his children a love of sports and a desire for competition at the highest levels; he enjoyed watching his children participate in their respective sports; and

WHEREAS, Dick Thies will be remembered for his life of commitment to his family, to his profession, to his church, and to his community; and

WHEREAS, Dick Thies was preceded in death by his parents; his stepfather, David C. Player; his brother-in-law, Craig R. Webber; his sister-in-law, Alice J. Webber; and his brother-in-law, James L. Zaccagni; and

WHEREAS, Dick Thies is survived by his wife of 66 years, Marilyn Webber Thies; his brother, Dr. David M. Player (Beth); his sister, Jennifer G. Zaccagni; his brother-in-law, Carl M. Webber (Betty); his children, David C. Thies (Johanna), Nancy Thies Marshall (Charlie), Susan Thies Harrison (Mike), John E. Thies (Terry), and Anne Thies Peters (Jeff); his 16 grandchildren, Stephanie Thies Geier (husband, Brian; children, Ben and Willa), Daniel Thies (wife, Page; children, Edward, Peter, Samuel, and Mary), Michael Thies (wife, Kristin), Adam Thies (wife, Bethany; son, Clive), Ryan Marshall (wife, Ali Marshall; children, Lucille and Ruth), Caitlin St. Peter (husband, Beau; daughter, Charlotte), John Marshall, Isaac Harrison (wife, Abigail), Marie Collins (husband, Jacob), Elizabeth Harrison, William Harrison, Kathryn Thies, Caroline Thies, Andrew Peters (wife, Ashlee), Luke Peters, and Bailey Peters; his 10 great-grandchildren (with one on the way); and his many cousins, nieces, nephews, and 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 Richard L. "Dick" Thies 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 Dick Thies as an expression of our deepest sympathy.