093_HR0125
LRB093 11258 KEF 12748 r
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of
3 the State of Illinois were saddened to learn of the death of
4 Jerome Jochim of Palestine, Illinois on February 19, 2003;
5 and
6 WHEREAS, Mr. Jochim was born on September 14, 1927 in
7 Evansville, Indiana to Albert and Ada Jochim; and
8 WHEREAS, Mr. Jochim attended St. Joseph's grade school
9 and Central high school in Evansville; and
10 WHEREAS, During his junior year at Central high school he
11 was a starting guard on the football team which went
12 undefeated and was acclaimed the Indiana state football
13 champions; following the football season he was drafted into
14 the army in 1946;
15 WHEREAS, Mr. Jochim was attached to the 82nd Airborne and
16 spent most of his time in service at Fort Bragg, North
17 Carolina; and
18 WHEREAS, After his discharge in 1947, he enrolled at the
19 University of Evansville on the GI Bill, where he played
20 football as a freshmen under former Oblong High School
21 football coach Paul Beck; and
22 WHEREAS, Mr. Jochim married Juanita Taylor in September
23 of 1948; and
24 WHEREAS, Upon Mr. Jochim's graduation from Evansville, he
25 started work as a fifth and sixth grade math and science
26 teacher at Hutsonville grade school in 1951; in addition, he
27 coached both basketball and track and inherited a basketball
28 team that had not won a game in two years; in his first
29 season, Hutsonville was 8-6; and
30 WHEREAS, Mr. Jochim soon after accepted a position at
-2- LRB093 11258 KEF 12748 r
1 Palestine grade school; he started teaching physical
2 education, filled in when other teachers were absent, and was
3 the assistant basketball coach; in his second year at
4 Palestine, he took over as head coach for the basketball team
5 and held that position for 16 years; he was hired as
6 principal in 1965; and
7 WHEREAS, In Mr. Jochim's first year as head coach, the
8 team went 15-4 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the
9 Junior High State Tournament; he compiled a record of 323-174
10 during 17 years as coach, and had only one losing season; and
11 WHEREAS, Mr. Jochim also had success as a track coach; in
12 1956, Palestine won the State Lightweight Track Championship
13 held at Bloomington; and
14 WHEREAS, Aside from his responsibilities at the school,
15 he worked for the Illinois Central Railroad until 1968; and
16 WHEREAS, Mr. Jochim retired from public education in
17 1987; and
18 WHEREAS, Mr. Jochim's passing will be deeply felt by his
19 family and friends; therefore, be it
20 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
21 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
22 we mourn the death of Jerome Jochim along with all who knew
23 and loved him and extend our sincere condolences to his
24 family, friends, and community; and be it further
25 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
26 presented to the family of Jerome Jochim as an expression of
27 our deepest sympathy.