HR0383

LRB094 12210 HSS 45839 r






1

HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
2
    WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the 
3
State of Illinois learned with sadness of the death of Richard 
4
W. "Rick" Larison Jr. of Rochester on Friday, April 29, 2005; 
5
and

 
6
    WHEREAS, He was born on August 8, 1950, in Springfield to 
7
Richard W. and Corabelle Bea Larison Sr.; he married Gaye 
8
Harper in 1987; he earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering 
9
from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a 
10
Master of Public Administration from Fordham University in New 
11
York; and

 
12
    WHEREAS, Mr. Larison began on the House Republican staff as 
13
a research analyst and later re-joined the staff of then House 
14
Republican Leader Lee Daniels in 1982 as Research Director; he 
15
was promoted to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff in 1987 
16
and later served as Chief of Staff for Leader Daniels; as one 
17
of the House Republican staff's pioneer research directors, he 
18
helped create the operational model that the research staff 
19
follows to this day, including the production of timely bill 
20
analyses and end-of-session reports to inform House members of 
21
key State issues and to enable them to cast informed votes on 
22
the House floor; and

 
23
    WHEREAS, He served in an executive capacity during the 
24
installation of the first generation of electronic business 
25
equipment in House Republican staff offices, which allowed the 
26
electronic creation and dissemination of research materials 
27
and bill analyses through computer-controlled word processors; 
28
he oversaw the continuing education and transition of a large 
29
segment of House Republican staff from clerk-typists to their 
30
current role as executive assistants; throughout all of these 
31
potentially traumatic changes, Mr. Larison served as a 
32
generous, kind, jovial, and reassuring advocate for the 
 


 






HR0383
- 2 -
LRB094 12210 HSS 45839 r




1
interests of staff amid the conflict and challenges of 
2
legislative work; and

 
3
    WHEREAS, He went on to serve as a senior staffer for 
4
Governor George Ryan, as a legislative liaison, as a lobbyist 
5
for The School Reform Board, and as the Director of the Office 
6
of Statewide Performance Review; he was voted into the 
7
Legislative Staff Intern Hall of Fame in 2001; and
 
8
    WHEREAS, The passing of Richard W. Larison Jr. has been 
9
deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Gaye; his daughter, 
10
Rachel Larison; his father, Richard; his sisters, Mary Kay 
11
(husband, Jerry) Gifford, Bonnie (husband, Tom) Day, and Brenda 
12
Larison; and his many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and 
13
cousins; therefore, be it

 
14
    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
15
NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
16
we mourn the passing of Richard W. "Rick" Larison Jr., and we 
17
extend our deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and all who 
18
knew and loved him; and be it further

 
19
    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
20
presented to the family of Mr. Larison as an expression of our 
21
sincerest condolences during their time of bereavement.