SR0462 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0462 LRB102 19456 MST 28224 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Donald James "Don" Sproul of East Moline; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul was born in Dixon to Clarence and Frances (Blimling) Sproul on July 8, 1932; he graduated from Dixon High School in 1950, where he participated in football, basketball, track, and golf and was a class officer and recipient of the American Legion Award; he graduated from Western Illinois Teachers College (Western Illinois University) in 1954 with a bachelor's degree in education and double minor in business; while there, he was a member of the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity and participated in many social and intramural activities; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul served two years with the United States Army, where he spent 16 months in Alaska; he achieved the rank of sergeant, and in October 2015, he had the privilege of being part of an Honor Flight to Washington D.C.; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul worked for John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline; he then worked as a sales engineer at Johnson Refrigeration (Johnson Mechanical) for nine years; after that, he worked for Bliss Eagle Signal as the plant engineer; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul joined Black Hawk College as Director of Facilities, and in addition to holding this position, he worked five years as the director for the hiring of non–certified personnel; during his tenure, the construction of the Moline campus was completed, and he was instrumental in the construction of the Black Hawk East Campus in Kewanee; he retired from Black Hawk College in 1996 and worked as a substitute teacher; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul served on the East Moline Planning and Zoning Commission for 50 years, 45 of them as chairman; he was recognized as the longest-serving volunteer for the city of East Moline at 57 years; he served on the United Township Board of Education for over 37 years, serving as president twice; as a member of the Illinois Association of School Boards, he served as chairman of the Black Hawk Division, which includes 28 school districts; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul was an avid supporter of United Township; he and Nancy were seen at almost every scholastic, music, and sporting event; he was also chairman of the East Moline Pool Board for 10 years; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in East Moline; he was a former member of the Elks Club, where he and Nancy enjoyed going for dinner and dancing on Saturday nights; he was a member of the East Moline Silvis Rotary Club and the American Legion; he was past president of the East Moline-Silvis Jaycees and a past member of the Willow Springs Swimming Club, where he served on the board; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul received the Denny Jacobs Public Servant Award in 1996 in recognition of his long-standing commitment to the community; for his entire life, he was a dedicated community servant and gave freely of his time and talents, working to make his community a better place to live for all; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul and Nancy were avid fans of the Chicago Cubs; they traveled to Arizona for Spring Training and to Wrigley Field three to four times a season; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul took great joy in his children's and grandchildren's academic achievements and sports activities; although usually not talkative, he could give hilarious one-liners; he loved golf, playing poker, and traveling with Nancy for many years; for 10 years, they wintered in Texas and eight in Florida; they enjoyed entertaining, and their home was always a welcoming place, overflowing with good times; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul lived in his home for 48 years before moving to Summit Ridge Condos, where he served as treasurer and as board president; and

WHEREAS, Don Sproul was the husband of 63 years of Nancy (Wallick); the father of children, Betsy and Peter (Beth) Sproul; the grandfather of Robert, James, and Peter Jr.; and the brother of Robert; 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 Donald James "Don" Sproul 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 Don Sproul as an expression of our deepest sympathy.