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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois State Senate are | ||||||
3 | saddened to learn of the death of former Illinois State | ||||||
4 | Senator Dr. Merrill William George Ottwein, who passed away on | ||||||
5 | March 21, 2024; and | ||||||
6 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein was born to Oscar John and Hilda | ||||||
7 | (Bardelmeier) Ottwein in Troy on April 24, 1929; and | ||||||
8 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein attended Troy schools; he received a | ||||||
9 | Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with highest honors from | ||||||
10 | the University of Illinois in 1951, a Master of Science in | ||||||
11 | Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois in | ||||||
12 | 1953, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with honors from the | ||||||
13 | University of Illinois in 1956; and | ||||||
14 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein married Grace Schmidt at Frieden's | ||||||
15 | United Church of Christ in Troy on September 2, 1950; and | ||||||
16 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein founded Hawthorne Animal Hospital in | ||||||
17 | Glen Carbon in 1956 and practiced until 1966 when his family | ||||||
18 | moved for a year to Honduras to conduct veterinary and | ||||||
19 | agricultural mission work through the United Church World | ||||||
20 | Ministries; and |
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1 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein campaigned for the Illinois State | ||||||
2 | Senate in 1969 on the slogan of "People Power"; he sought to | ||||||
3 | bring about a more decentralized government to improve the | ||||||
4 | quality of American life upon the principles that education, | ||||||
5 | including vocational training, must be of the highest | ||||||
6 | priority, that our environment and our relations to it must be | ||||||
7 | a constant consideration, and that a morality of contribution, | ||||||
8 | national purpose and unity, and old-fashioned patriotism | ||||||
9 | should be the order of the day; and | ||||||
10 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein won election to an unexpired term in | ||||||
11 | the Illinois Senate in 1969, becoming the first Republican | ||||||
12 | senator from the 53rd District in more than 30 years; and | ||||||
13 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein served on the Education, | ||||||
14 | Conservation, Agriculture, and Public Welfare committees | ||||||
15 | during his tenure in the senate; and | ||||||
16 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein was appointed a member of the | ||||||
17 | Illinois School Problems Commission and the Urban Education | ||||||
18 | Commission and served as chairman of the Committee for | ||||||
19 | Unification and Coordination of Social Services in Illinois; | ||||||
20 | and | ||||||
21 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein introduced legislation to require | ||||||
22 | visual examinations for students in Illinois and for the |
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1 | establishment of a St. Louis Metropolitan Airport, as well as | ||||||
2 | a measure to finance a water pollution control as part of a | ||||||
3 | legislative package supported by Governor Richard Ogilvie; and | ||||||
4 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein, after serving for one term, became | ||||||
5 | involved with developing communities and founded his company, | ||||||
6 | Homebuyer's Relocation Services, with his son, Paul; he also | ||||||
7 | served on numerous industry-related boards and committees; and | ||||||
8 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein's first love was his family, but he | ||||||
9 | also enjoyed singing in various barbershop and vocal groups, | ||||||
10 | playing his trombone in community bands and small ensembles, | ||||||
11 | and researching family history; and | ||||||
12 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein was preceded in death by his parents | ||||||
13 | and his grandson, Dr. Brent Leh; and | ||||||
14 | WHEREAS, Dr. Ottwein is survived by his wife of 73 years, | ||||||
15 | Grace Ottwein; his sister, Audrey Deeren; his children, Ann | ||||||
16 | (Michael) Culp, Amy (Keith) Zagar, Paul (Amber) Ottwein, and | ||||||
17 | Emily Ottwein; his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, John | ||||||
18 | Ottwein and Nicole DeVerter-Ottwein, Adam and Jessica Ottwein | ||||||
19 | (Annabelle and Oscar), Tyler Ottwein and Emma Pieper, Dakota | ||||||
20 | Roper and fiancé Tyler Orgler, Richard and Laura Leh (Devyn), | ||||||
21 | Matthew and Catherine Zagar (Jane and Dylan), Patrick Zagar, | ||||||
22 | Benjamin Ottwein, Bethany and Eric Paulsen (Emmet), Benjamin |
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1 | and Megan Culp (Julia, Wesley, Owen), Nathan and Pamela Culp | ||||||
2 | (Clayton), and Gregory and Victoria Culp (Brentleigh and | ||||||
3 | Elisabeth); and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews; | ||||||
4 | therefore, be it | ||||||
5 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL | ||||||
6 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
7 | Dr. Merrill William George Ottwein and extend our sincere | ||||||
8 | condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved | ||||||
9 | him; and be it further | ||||||
10 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
11 | presented to the family of Dr. Ottwein as an expression of our | ||||||
12 | deepest sympathy. |