HR1230 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1230 LRB093 23583 LCB 53583 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House wish to express their sincere condolences to the family and friends of Willard T. "Bill" Hodge, who passed away on September 21, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hodge was born on August 2, 1928, in New York City, to Willard T. and Anna Kopp Hodge; he married Anita Hoops on August 23, 1950; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hodge attended the New York school system, Riverdale Country School, and Michigan State University; and

WHEREAS, It was at Michigan State University that Mr. Hodge got his first taste of farming; he decided to leave the city to farm at Villa Grove; and in 1956, he moved to his Seymour farm in Champaign County, in the Mahomet-Seymour area, where he continued to farm until his death; and

WHEREAS, In 1975, Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz and Congressman Edward Madigan visited Mr. Hodge's farm to discuss farm issues with local farm leaders and representatives of the University of Illinois; due to the media coverage of the event, Mr. Hodge's farm appeared in People Magazine and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of his contributions to farming, Bill Hodge was honored in 1981 as the News-Gazette Farm Leader of the Year; and

WHEREAS, Bill Hodge was an active member of his community; he served on the Champaign County Forest Preserve District from 1987, until he resigned in 1993 to pursue his interests in government, the environment, and land use; he was instrumental in the drafting of Champaign County's first zoning ordinance; and he traveled to Washington to advocate for agriculture to the members of Congress; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hodge also enjoyed Republican Party politics; he was the coordinator for 26 counties of Farm Families for Ronald Reagan for President, headed the State of Illinois Farmers for George Bush for President, was precinct committeeman for Mahomet 2, was a past member of the Champaign County Republican Executive Committee, co-chaired the Farm Bureau Legislative Committee, and was a member of the Carle Foundation; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Bill Hodge will be felt by all who knew and loved him, especially his wife, Anita; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with all who knew and loved him, the death of Bill Hodge; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Bill Hodge.