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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois 
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were saddened to learn of the death of Frances Nies Rossbach of 
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Chicago City, Minnesota, formerly a Clarendon Hills resident 
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from 1949 to 2000, on February 11, 2004; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mrs. Rossbach was born on September 18, 1924, in 
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El Paso, Texas; she was an avid tennis player who competed in 
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numerous city tennis championships; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She received her bachelor's degree in business 
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from what is now the University of Texas El Paso in 1945, where 
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she was named Outstanding Woman Graduate; at the college, she 
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was an active member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and 
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served twice as president of the sorority alumnae group in 
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southwest suburban Chicago; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She met her future husband while he was serving 
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with the United States Army, stationed at Fort Bliss during 
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World War II; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Mrs. Rossbach was president of the Walker School 
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Parent-Teacher Association in the late 1950s and part of a 
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citizens group that introduced foreign language instruction 
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into District 181 elementary schools; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In the 1960s, she helped in the construction of 
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the Church of the Holy Nativity; she served on the church 
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vestry and was president of the Episcopal Churchwomen; she 
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mobilized support for the St. Augustine Indian Center in 
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Chicago, which enabled the center to buy its current facility; 
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she was den mother for both of her sons' Cub Scout troops and a 
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Girl Scout leader when her daughter was involved; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In the early 1960s, she led the citizens' 
 


 






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committee to build the Clarendon Hills' firehouse and the 
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referendum campaign to create the police and fire pension fund; 
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in the 1970s, she was chairman of the Clarendon Hills 
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historical committee and helped write the village's 50-year 
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history; she was also chairman of the Downers Grove Township 
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Senior Citizens Committee and was director of senior activities 
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at The Community House in Hinsdale; she taught the 55 Alive 
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Defensive Driving Course; in 1964, she and her husband were the 
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first couple to receive the Distinguished Service Award from 
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the Clarendon Hills Junior Chamber of Commerce; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The passing of Frances Nies Rossbach will be 
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deeply felt by many, especially her husband of 58 years, Paul; 
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her children, Bill, Bob, and Pamela Schmitz; her grandchildren, 
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Kyle and Emilie Schmitz, Jennifer, David, and Emily 
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Richardson-Rossbach, and Brigit and Dylan Rossbach; and her 
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sister, Emily Louis Bowden; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of 
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Frances Nies Rossbach along with all who knew and loved her and 
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extend our sincere condolences to her family and friends; and 
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be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Frances Nies Rossbach as an expression of our 
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deepest sympathy.