HR1577 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1577 LRB094 22072 KXB 60680 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Representative Terry Parke of Schaumburg on his service to the people of his legislative district; and

WHEREAS, Representative Parke has been a member of the Illinois House since 1984 and has served this body with distinction; and

WHEREAS, Representative Parke's accomplishments are numerous: he has been recognized as the Freshman Legislator of the Year by the Illinois Hospital Association; he was twice named Representative of the Year by the Illinois Health Care Association; he was named Legislator of the Year from the Illinois Nurses Association and Legislator of the Year from the Illinois Association of Park Districts; he was the recipient of the 2005 Presidential Award from the Children's Advocacy Center of North and Northwest Cook County, the Golden Apple Award from the Illinois Association of School Boards, and the Illinois Manufactured Housing Association's Legislator of the Year award; and

WHEREAS, He has been the Co-Chairman of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, the spokesperson for the Insurance Committee, and a member of the committees on Environment & Energy, Consumer Protection, Environmental Health, Labor, and Telecommunications; and

WHEREAS, Prior to serving in the General Assembly, Representative Parke's public service also included terms as a Schaumburg Township School Trustee from 1979 to 1981 and a Schaumburg Township Trustee from 1981 to 1984; he was a member of the Republican National Convention, elected as an Illinois Delegate in 1988 and 1996 and as an Illinois Alternate Delegate in 1992 and 2000; and

WHEREAS, He has been a long-standing member of the Hanover Organization of Republicans and the Schaumburg Township Alliance of Republicans, and has served as a Precinct Captain for 25 years; and

WHEREAS, Representative Parke was born a politician, with his first political speech given as a two-year-old to a trainload of listeners, according to memories left from his loving mother; and

WHEREAS, He was a trusted Boy Scout and Eagle Scout; if requested, he would indulge you with his many camping stories, including winter camp-outs in tents in the snow; he was on the high school wrestling team, but was quite a lightweight, weighing in at 110 pounds; and

WHEREAS, Representative Parke honorably served in the United States Army for two years during the Vietnam War, serving our country in Germany; while in Europe, he provided leadership guidance as a Boy Scout leader for American boys whose families were stationed in Europe; during his tour he was a decorated "Soldier of the Month" and was recommended for Officer's Training School; and

WHEREAS, Upon the completion of his overseas military duty in 1968, Representative Parke returned to Southern Illinois University to complete his degree in education; there he met his wife, Joanne; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we wish Representative Parke all the best in his future endeavors and congratulate him on a job well done in the General Assembly; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Representative Parke, his wife, Joanne, and their two daughters, Kelli and Tiffany, as an expression of our esteem and respect for our colleague and friend.