093_HR0340
LRB093 11934 RAH 16394 r
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives were saddened to learn of the death of Jim
4 Beveridge of Heyworth on Tuesday, May 6, 2003; and
5 WHEREAS, Mr. Beveridge was born on July 10, 1929, in
6 Evanston, the son of Glen W. and Elizabeth V. McLaughlin
7 Beveridge; he married Nancy Mortland on June 30, 1956, in
8 Streator; and
9 WHEREAS, The Beveridge family moved to Heyworth in 1934;
10 Mr. Beveridge graduated from Heyworth High School in 1947 and
11 served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict; and
12 WHEREAS, Mr. Beveridge worked in the printing business
13 for over 65 years; he was president and owner of the Heyworth
14 Star since 1972 where he also served as editor and publisher;
15 he had loyal employees, some with him for 30 years; and
16 WHEREAS, His membership in the local church spanned 60 years;
17 before the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches united, he was
18 the last ordained Elder of the United Presbyterian Church; he
19 served as Trustee Chairman of the Administrative Board and
20 was a longtime member of the church board, including
21 finances; he was also chairman of the United Church
22 renovation committee, where he enjoyed growing roses and
23 sharing them with church family on Sunday; and
24 WHEREAS, Mr. Beveridge held memberships in the National
25 and Illinois Newspaper Association, the National and Illinois
26 Right to Work Committee, AARP; the Elks, the Heyworth Masonic
27 Lodge and the Bloomington Masonic Lodge No. 49, the
28 Bloomington Scottish Rite, the American Legion, the Sovereign
29 Prince Zerubbabel Council (2000) Mohammed Temple, Peoria, and
30 he was a Novat; he was a member of the Bloomington Shrine
31 Club where he served as chairman eight times during his 20
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1 years of service on the Shrine football game committee; in
2 addition, he was the past president of the McLean County
3 Shrine Club and Lions Club and a long-time member of the
4 Knights of Pythias, publishing their newsletter for over 45
5 years; and
6 WHEREAS, Mr. Beveridge was co-chairman and chairman of
7 the Heyworth Economic Development Committee, he served on the
8 Hey Day Committee, and on the 1956 Centennial Committee as
9 co-chairman, the Siltennial committee, as well as the
10 Bi-Centennial committee; and
11 WHEREAS, Mr. Beveridge served as Township Trustee,
12 Village Clerk, and served seven years as Village Trustee;
13 while on the Village Board, he was an advocate of TIF
14 districts and helped form the first one in 1986; he was
15 directly involved in TIF I-III, and he was a charter member
16 of the Illinois Economic Development Council; and
17 WHEREAS, Mr. Beveridge served on the original park board,
18 and he and his family planted most of the trees and did other
19 chores to get Centennial Park started; having parks in the
20 village meant a lot to him, and he was a big supporter and
21 contributor to the Merle E. Shannon Volunteer Park behind the
22 local library; he worked hard for growth in Heyworth to
23 support the local elementary and high schools; and
24 WHEREAS, He and his wife, Nancy, traveled frequently;
25 they were escorts for the "Get Up & Go Club," a club of
26 Scottish Rite, Valley of Bloomington; and
27 WHEREAS, He was an avid NBA fan, especially of the
28 Chicago Bulls where he watched Michael Jordan play in Chicago
29 many times; his interest in sports included being a die-hard
30 Cubs fan since 1939; he also liked Jazz on station GLT; and
31 WHEREAS, He was fond of old trains; he held memberships
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1 in the 20th Century Railroad Club, the Illinois Terminal
2 Railroad Historical Society, the M&SV Railroad Museum, and
3 the Nevada State, V&T Museum; and he was helping to form the
4 Heyworth Railroad Museum; and
5 WHEREAS, Mr. Beveridge will be long remembered by his
6 family and many friends as someone who enjoyed life, who
7 cared deeply about Heyworth and as someone who got things
8 done; and
9 WHEREAS, The passing of Jim Beveridge has been deeply
10 felt by all who knew him, especially his wife, Nancy
11 Beveridge; his daughter, Sonia (Ted) Galvin; his grand
12 children, Miranda Ann and Marcus S. Galvin; and his nieces,
13 nephews and cousins; therefore, be it
14 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16 we mourn the passing of Jim Beveridge and express our sincere
17 and deepest sympathy to his family and friends; and be it
18 further
19 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20 presented to the family of Jim Beveridge as an expression of
21 our condolences during their time of bereavement.