SR0307LRB104 13551 ECR 26051 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened 
3to learn of the death of Henry Rakoff, Ph.D., who passed away 
4on May 2, 2025; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Henry Rakoff was born to Joseph and Anna in 
6Brooklyn, New York in 1924; he attended schools in Brooklyn; 
7he received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the City 
8College of New York in 1944; he served as an electronics 
9technician in the U.S. Navy; he earned a Master of Science in 
10Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Purdue University; he 
11married Mary Miller, and they had three children, Alan, 
12Steven, and Tracy; he later married Nancy Safford in 1983, and 
13he welcomed two stepchildren, Michael and Lisa; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Henry Rakoff worked as a chemistry professor at 
15Texas A&M University and at Parsons College; after relocating 
16to Peoria in the 1970s, he served as a research chemist at the 
17U.S. Department of Agriculture lab, retiring in 1992; 
18afterward, he continued teaching chemistry part-time at 
19Bradley University; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Henry Rakoff co-authored an organic chemistry 
21textbook, and he wrote numerous publications on the synthesis 
22of deuterated fatty acids for use in a study of the metabolism 
 
 
SR0307- 2 -LRB104 13551 ECR 26051 r

1of fats in humans; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Henry Rakoff was a longtime member of the 
3Universalist Unitarian Church, and he was an active 
4participant at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at 
5Bradley University; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Henry Rakoff and his wife, Nancy, loved traveling 
7abroad and in the U.S., including hiking to the bottom of the 
8Grand Canyon seven times; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Henry Rakoff was the husband of Nancy; the father 
10of Alan (Maria) Rakoff, Steven Rakoff, and Tracy (Jim) Madril; 
11the stepfather of Michael (Jennifer) Safford and Lisa (Ross) 
12Waskin; the grandfather of 12; and the great-grandfather of 
13four; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL 
15ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of 
16Henry Rakoff, Ph.D. and extend our sincere condolences to his 
17family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it 
18further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
20presented to the family of Henry Rakoff as an expression of our 
21deepest sympathy.