SR0230 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0230 LRB103 32102 ECR 61111 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Robert Lewis "Bob" Poorman, Ph.D., who passed away on April 2, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Poorman was born to Dale Lowell Poorman and Bernice Velma (Krick) Poorman in Germantown, Ohio on December 9, 1926; after attending Ohio Wesleyan University and the University of Virginia as part of the U.S. Navy's V-12 officer training program, he graduated from Ohio State University with his Bachelor of Science in Education and his Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology; he married Lois Romer in Kansas City, Missouri on December 26, 1949; he pursued graduate studies at the University of Southern California and eventually graduated from University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration with a concentration in community college and student services; and

WHEREAS, Along with his wife, Dr. Poorman taught at Center High School in the Colorado Rocky Mountains; after serving at two community colleges, Phoenix College in Arizona and Bakersfield College in California, his career centered on his 21-year tenure as founding president of Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield; there, he established the campus and the curriculum and followed the hiring principle of finding knowledgeable teachers and staff who cared about students and who were interested in serving their communities; and

WHEREAS, After retirement, Dr. Poorman was awarded Fulbright Program scholarships to Lithuania, Ukraine, the People's Republic of China, and Tanzania, where he contributed his vast experience and knowledge regarding community colleges and American higher education; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Poorman and his family traveled extensively in the United States, especially enjoying the national parks, and he and his wife enjoyed traveling internationally later in life; he loved music, had a warm tenor voice, and reveled in sing-alongs; he appreciated nature, including tending his own garden and watching birds at his many feeders; he enthusiastically and possessively claimed ownership of the backyard barbecue; he enjoyed chatting with visitors over Antiques Roadshow and Shark Tank; he was an avid participant in family game nights and his weekly poker games; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Poorman was a man of strong faith and a talented storyteller; he will be remembered for being respectful, compassionate, and peaceful; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Poorman was preceded in death by his wife; his daughters, Paula (Susan Simmons) Poorman and Jan Poorman; his parents; and his siblings, Ann, Dale Jr., Jack, and Ray; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Poorman is survived by his children, Rev. Mark Poorman, C.S.C., Alex (Susan) Poorman, Lisa (Mark) Thomson, and Dan (Deric Absher) Poorman; his grandchildren; and his great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Robert Lewis "Bob" Poorman, Ph.D., 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 Dr. Poorman as an expression of our deepest sympathy.