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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened 
3to learn of the death of Thomas William "Tom" Ritter of Blue 
4Mound, who passed away on August 20, 2025; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Tom Ritter, the son of William H. and Arlone 
6(Deardorff) Ritter, in Decatur on February 12, 1952; he 
7graduated from Blue Mound High School; he received a Bachelor 
8of Science in Agriculture from the University of Illinois 
9Urbana-Champaign; he married Diana D. Virt in 1979; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Tom Ritter worked in the agricultural industry; 
11he served as president of the Macon County Farm Bureau and as 
12one of the longest tenured Illinois Farm Bureau Crop Watchers, 
13reporting weekly in Macon County; he was also a member of the 
14Macon County 4-H Foundation, the Meridian Ag Foundation, the 
15Illinois Soybean Association, the National Soybean Checkoff 
16Board, and the U.S. Grains Council; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Tom Ritter served as a trustee, an elder, a 
18deacon, and a liturgist at Central Christian Church in 
19Decatur; he also served as a former president and trustee of 
20Richland Community College, a liaison to the Illinois 
21Community College Trustees Association, president of the 
22Meridian School Board and the Blue Mound School Board, and 
 
 
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1supervisor of Pleasant View Township; he co-organized, as a 
2longtime board member and former president, the annual Blue 
3Mound Fall Festival for many decades; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Tom Ritter dedicated his life to serving his 
5faith, his family, his community, and the agricultural 
6industry at large; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Tom Ritter was preceded in death by his parents; 
8his parents-in-law, Carrol and Rea Virt; and his 
9brother-in-law, Mark Hanover; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Tom Ritter is survived by his wife of 46 years, 
11Diana; his sons, Cory (Jan) Ritter, Cole (Ashleigh) Ritter, 
12and Cale Ritter; four grandchildren; his sister, Nancy 
13Hanover; his stepfather, Glen Dalluge; and his 
14siblings-in-law, Daniel (Margaret) Virt, David (Rita) Virt, 
15and Dena Vincent; therefore, be it
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL 
17ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of 
18Thomas William "Tom" Ritter and extend our sincere condolences 
19to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be 
20it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
 
 
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1presented to the family of Tom Ritter as an expression of our 
2deepest sympathy.