093_SR0259 LRB093 13303 KEF 18579 r 1 SENATE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of 3 Illinois were saddened to learn of the death of George 4 Bennett Peters of Aurora on June 26, 2003; and 5 WHEREAS, Mr. Peters was born on July 10, 1914 in 6 Houghton, Michigan, the son of Thomas and Lettie Peters; he 7 graduated from Michigan State University in 1936 with a 8 degree in Mechanical Engineering; and 9 WHEREAS, Mr. Peters began his 46 year career at Aurora 10 Metal Company as an Engineer and ended his career as 11 President and then Board Member for Aurora Industries, 12 Incorporated; and 13 WHEREAS, Mr. Peters was a former President of the Cast 14 Metals Association and served on the Board of Trustees of the 15 Foundry Educational Foundation; he served on the Board of 16 Directors and as Vice President of the Illinois State Chamber 17 of Commerce and the Board of Education for District 129 for 18 11 years; he served on the Board of Directors for Merchants 19 National Bank, First American Bank, and the Mercy Center for 20 Health Services; he was a member and Past President of the 21 Aurora Country Club and formerly served on the Board of 22 Trustees and as Moderator of New England Congregational 23 Church; he served as President of the Valley Industrial 24 Association, The Exchange Club of Aurora, the United Way of 25 Aurora and the Greater Aurora Chamber of Commerce; he served 26 on the Board of Directors and was Chairman of the Board of 27 Trustees at Aurora University; he was a member of the Capital 28 Development Board for the State of Illinois and served as 29 Chairman for seven years; he was a member of Medinah Shrine 30 in Chicago, and was a life member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon 31 Fraternity; and he served as Chairman of the Congressional 32 Club to the Honorable Dennis Hastert; and -2- LRB093 13303 KEF 18579 r 1 WHEREAS, The George B. Peters Scholarship Fund was 2 established at Michigan State University in the Criminal 3 Justice School; several Aurora Police Officers earned their 4 Master's Degrees in Police Administration through the fund; 5 in addition, Mr. Peters was a former member of several State 6 Commissions on Law Enforcement; and 7 WHEREAS, Mr. Peters was the recipient of many honors and 8 awards including: the Distinguished Alumni Award at Michigan 9 State University, Illinois Business Hall of Fame Inductee, 10 the James B. Keating Award, the Iron Casting Society Award, 11 the International Cosmopolitan Club Award, and the Helena 12 Zentmyer Wackerlind Award; he was also selected as the Grand 13 Marshall for the 2000 Fourth of July Parade in Aurora; and 14 WHEREAS, Mr. Peters' passing will be deeply felt by many, 15 especially his wife, Virginia; his children, Jane (Jim) Lynn, 16 Marnie (Doug) Stewart, and Margie (Don) Plumley, Jeff (Betsy) 17 Slaney, Terry Slaney (John Stark) and Peggy (Tom) McCabe; his 18 grandchildren, Chrissy (Mike) Poppen, Andrew Lynn, Janie 19 Stewart, Elizabeth Stewart, Nathan (fiancee, Angela) Stewart, 20 Katie Stewart, Abigail Stewart, Angela Plumley, Amanda 21 Plumley and Nickolas Plumley, Will (Kelly) Slaney, Polycraty 22 Solounias, Cari Barrett, Dan (Meg Ann) McCabe, and Megan 23 (Jeff) Beyer; and his 12 great grandchildren; and 24 WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his first wife, 25 Marion; therefore, be it 26 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL 27 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing 28 of George Bennett Peters along with all who knew and loved 29 him and extend our sincere condolences to his family and 30 friends; and be it further 31 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 32 presented to the family of George Bennett Peters as an -3- LRB093 13303 KEF 18579 r 1 expression of our deepest sympathy.