HR1272 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1272 LRB094 20468 HSS 58700 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell of Oak Lawn, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, is retiring after a long and distinguished career in the private and public sector; and

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell served admirably in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, fighting on the Pacific islands of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, and Iwo Jima, where he served with distinction, earning the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Asiatic Pacific Medal with three Stars, and the Presidential Unit Citation Award; and

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell, born on February 19, 1919, in Hammond, Indiana, moved to Oak Lawn in 1956, where he raised three children with his wife and established a popular Oak Lawn restaurant named "Bus' Drive-in" and was engaged in the insurance brokerage business; and

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell served with excellence in community and civic affairs by participating in the Heart Fund, the Boy Scouts, the Lions Club, the Elks Club, the Holy Name Society, Rotary, American Legion Post 757, VFW Post 5220, and the Catholic War Veterans; and

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell was a loyal and active Democrat that served his party as President of the Worth Township Regular Democrats for three years, was elected delegate to the 1964 State Nomination Convention, was six times elected Democratic Committeeman of Worth Township, was a member of the Cook County Democratic Central Committee, and was elected delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1968, 1972, and 1976; and

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell served the Village of Oak Lawn as an elected trustee from 1959 to 1963; and

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell served nine terms as an elected member of the Illinois House of Representatives, where he served as Chairman of the Counties and Townships Committee, Chairman of the Joint Committee Administrative Procedures, Chairman of the Election Laws Commission, Chairman of the County Problems Commission, and was as a member of the Executive Committee, the Cities and Villages Committee, the Financing of Education Commission, and the C-Selm Pollution Control Commission; and

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell, as Illinois State Representative, was chief sponsor of bills to raise the drinking age to 21 and to create the Joint Committee on Administrative Procedures; he also sponsored legislation creating one of the toughest narcotic bails in the nation, banning look-alike drugs, and the consolidated election law; and

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell earned several awards and distinctions for his outstanding contributions to legislative service during his tenure as a State Representative, with honors including "1984 Legislator of the Year" by the coalition of Suburban Bar Association; "1984 Legislator of the Year" by the Illinois Library Association; the First Annual Recipient of the Richard J. Daley Citizenship Award; the Illinois Wildlife Federation Award in 1975, 1977, and 1981; the Cook County Suburban Publishers Association award for Outstanding Service in 1975; the Chicago Principals Association Certificate of Recognition in 1975; the Illinois Library Association Certification of Recognition in 1978; the Urban County Council of Illinois 1976 Award; the South Suburban Principals Award in 1976; the Mount Greenwood Homeowners Association Award in 1976; the Illinois Association of Park Districts Award in 1976 and 1979; the Illinois Coroners Association Meritorious Civic Award in 1978; the Village of Chicago Ridge Meritorious Civic Award in 1977; the Illinois Credit Union League Perfect Voting Record Award in 1979; the Joint Committee on Administrative Procedures Award in 1979; the County Problems Study Commission Award in 1979; and the South Suburban Park & Recreational Association Award in 1974; and

WHEREAS, Harry "Bus" Yourell, due to outstanding civic service to his community, received the honor of having a street (Yourell Drive) in the Village of Oak Lawn named after him, and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District named the Sepa Station in Worth as the Harry "Bus" Yourell Sidestream Elevated Pool Aeration Station in 1999; and

WHEREAS, Citizens of our state who serve with distinction deserve to be recognized and honored for their accomplishments; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend Harry "Bus" Yourell for his dedication and service to his family, friends, community, and country, and we wish him all the best in his retirement and future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Harry "Bus" Yourell as a sign of our respect, esteem, and admiration for an exemplary career of service and with our best wishes for future successes.