SR0409 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0409 LRB104 15192 ECR 28336 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Charles Arthur Schweighauser of Pleasant Plains, who passed away on July 14, 2025; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser, the son of Arthur A. Schweighauser and Julia Schweighauser, was born in Alton on June 1, 1936; he graduated from St. Louis Country Day School in 1954; he received a Bachelor of Arts in Literature in 1958 and a Master of Arts in English Literature in 1960, both from Williams College, where he also completed an undergraduate teaching assistantship in astronomy and worked as an assistant in the Admissions Office; he married Suzanne "Suds" (Japha) Kyger in August 1957, and they divorced in 1978; he married Barbara Jensen-Schweighauser on June 14, 1997, and she preceded him in death on April 30, 2024; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser, after teaching for a year at his high school alma mater, was hired as the founding director of the James S. McDonnell Planetarium in St. Louis; he also taught astronomy at Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis University, and the University of Missouri at St. Louis; he served as executive secretary of the Williams College Trustee Committee for the Development of Mount Hope Farm from 1965 to 1971, and he also worked as a research associate for the Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College; he served as director of the Coalition for the Environment and its associated foundation in the St. Louis area in 1971 and as the project administrator for the heart disease study of St. Louis Heart Association's National Institutes of Health from 1973 to 1974; he also consulted for many entities throughout his career, including the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Hanson Engineers; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser joined the faculty of Sangamon State University, now the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS), teaching in the Environmental Studies program in 1973; he started the university's Astronomy program in 1975, and he was also appointed to UIS's English program; he was tenured in 1977, promoted to full professor in 1980, and recognized as a professor emeritus of astronomy and physics, English, and environmental studies at UIS in 2002; even after retirement, he continued to teach university-level courses at the Pleasant Plains branch of the Prairie Skies Library District; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser began the UIS tradition of Star Parties in 1977, which were held on the roof observation deck atop Brookens Library; he drew national attention to the campus when he helped organize a live feed of an annular eclipse to all major television networks in 1994, drawing millions of views; during his tenure at UIS, he helped found and fund the UIS Barber Research Observatory and developed many telescopes, including the first telescope in the world dedicated for use by people with physical disabilities; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser was a board member of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and an inaugural board member of the National Undergraduate Research Observatory; he was also a member of the American Astronomical Society, a visiting astronomer at Kitt Peak National Observatory, a visiting scientist and educator at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a visiting astronomer and consultant at Big Springs Summer Camp for Boys for 40 years; throughout his career, he earned accolades from UIS, the University of Illinois, and many other institutions; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser produced four documentaries, including The Sangamon River: A Sense of Place; he was a published author of seven books and monographs whose work also appeared in periodicals, including 700 newspapers in Illinois at one time; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser enjoyed fishing for trout and salmon in Alaska, Canada, Labrador, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Mongolia, and Siberia; he and his wife, Barbara, were opera enthusiasts, traveling to the major capitals of Europe and the U.S. for opera performances; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser was a lifelong teacher who looked for the student in almost every person he encountered; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser was preceded in death by his parents and his sibling, Annette Schweighauser-Scallia; and

WHEREAS, Charles Schweighauser is survived by his sons, Robert "Bob" Schweighauser and Scott (Liz Ellrodt) Schweighauser; his stepdaughters, Andrea (Kip) Leverton, Deborah (Randy) Rogers-Flinn, and Jennifer (Craig Hocum) Rogers; 13 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Charles Arthur Schweighauser 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 Charles Schweighauser as an expression of our deepest sympathy.