HR0021 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0021 LRB094 06061 CSA 36122 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Guy H. Bodor of Aurora passed away on December 20, 2004; he was born February 18, 1922, to Louis and Hedwig (Reginnitter) Bodor; and

WHEREAS, Guy proudly served in the United States Navy, enlisting in 1940; he attended boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, followed by Aviation Radio School in San Diego, California; he survived the attack on Pearl Harbor while serving aboard the USS San Francisco; he spent 56 months in the Pacific theatre participating in the Wake Island relief expedition, the attack on the Marshall and Gilbert Islands, air action off Bougainville, the SALAMAAU-LAE Raid, the Battle of Cape Esperance, and the Battle of Guadalcanal; in 1943, he was assigned to bombing squadron VB-140 based at the Russell Islands for the new Georgia-Bougainville-New Ireland campaigns; in 1944, he was assigned to patrol bombing squadron VPB-123 and participated in the Okinawa invasion to end the war; he was decorated many times, including a Purple Heart for injuries sustained in the Battle of Guadalcanal; his unit received the first Presidential Unit Citation for that action; he also was awarded the Naval Air medal, Navy Good Conduct medal, WWII Victory medal, American Defense medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal, American Campaign-Pacific Operations medal, and the Naval Reserve Faithful Service medal; he continued his service after World War II in the Naval Reserves and was called to active duty in 1961; while in the reserves, he received a commission and attained the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4, serving a total of 40 years until his retirement in 1982; and

WHEREAS, In 1946, He joined IBM and spent the next 41 years working as a customer products service manager; and

WHEREAS, During retirement, he was active in the community at SciTech, Golden Kiwanis, and New England Congregational Church; he was also a member of the Naval Order of the United States and served as president of the Aurora Navy League; and

WHEREAS, He was proceeded in death by his parents; his brothers, Richard, Robert, and James; and his sister Margaret, in infancy; and

WHEREAS, A devoted husband, loving father and doting grandfather, Guy is survived by his wife of 55 years, Bobbi (Collatz) Bodor; his children, Suzanne (Bruce) Saunders, Aaron (Tash Robb) Bodor, and Jeanne (Andrew) Larson; his grandchildren, Logan Saunders, Seth and Marete Larson, and Rowan Bodor; his brother-in-law, Fred (Anna) Collatz; and several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Guy H. Bodor and we extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to his family as an expression of our deepest sympathy.