SR1197 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1197 LRB103 42498 LAW 75729 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of John H. Kube of Petersburg, who passed away on August 1, 2024; and

WHEREAS, John Kube was born to Adolph H. and Hazel O. (Larson) Kube in Whitehall, Wisconsin on March 27, 1944; after high school, he trained and apprenticed as a steamfitter, becoming a journeyman steamfitter; he returned to school, earning his bachelor's degree and his Master of Science in Natural Resource Management at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point; he married Diane Sobotta in Arcadia, Wisconsin on November 26, 1964; and

WHEREAS, John Kube was a longtime forest wildlife biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR); after completing his master's degree, he was hired by the Illinois Department of Conservation's Division of Wildlife in 1973; he worked for the Department of Conservation, now the Department of Natural Resources, until 2002; and

WHEREAS, During his tenure, John Kube and his fellow biologists spent countless hours trapping wild turkeys and relocating them to parts of Illinois with suitable habitats but no turkeys; they also trapped ruffed grouse from other states and transplanted them into the Shawnee National Forest; he served as deer project leader for many years, during which he was charged with managing the statewide deer herd, setting county deer harvest quotas, and overseeing the State's system of county deer check stations; through his efforts, deer herds continued to increase over time, allowing management goals to shift from growing the herd to controlling numbers at levels acceptable to a wide variety of Illinoisans, including hunters, farmers, and motorists, leading Illinois to become a destination state for deer hunters all over the country; and

WHEREAS, John Kube was an avid hunter and fisherman, enjoying many activities with friends centered around those seasons, and he always had Labrador Retrievers as part of his family; he loved catfishing on the Sangamon River and enjoyed spending time at a floating cabin called "The Shack" that was located on the backwaters of the Mississippi River in Wisconsin, which he built with his late brother, Franklin, and three friends in 1972; and

WHEREAS, John Kube was preceded in death by his daughter, Mary; and

WHEREAS, John Kube is survived by his wife, Diane Kube; his daughters, Brenda Kube and Barbra (Gary) Webber; three grandchildren; and his sister, Alice Bledig; 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 John H. Kube 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 John Kube as an expression of our deepest sympathy.