SR0108 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0108 LRB094 11672 CSA 43263 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with sadness of the death of Rolla John Mottaz, formerly of Alton, on February 3, 2005; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Mottaz was born March 8, 1908, in Hardin, to John and Nellie (Bizaillion) Mottaz; he grew up and spent most of his life in Alton; and

WHEREAS, He and the former Eunice Clevenger were married June 28, 1930, in Alton; she passed away May 3, 1989; he married Jean Hunter on July 27, 1990, in Tequesta, Florida; and

WHEREAS, He became Spencer T. Olin's executive assistant in May 1930 at Olin Industries, later called Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp. and the Olin Corp. in East Alton; he continued to work for Olin in St. Louis and Florida for many years after officially retiring from the corporation, serving as president of the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Foundation for more than 25 years; he resigned as trustee of the foundation in 2000, but continued until 2004 as general manager of the Allapattah Properties Partnership; and

WHEREAS, He often said the highlight of his achievements with the Olin Foundation was the development of the Spencer T. Olin Golf Course at Gordon Moore Park in Alton; he was a good friend of Dr. Gordon Moore; and

WHEREAS, He studied business administration at the University College of Washington University and completed the advanced management program at Harvard Business School in 1954; he was a member of the Harvard Club of St. Louis; and

WHEREAS, He was active in the Republican Party and in fundraising on the local, state, and national level; he served as chair of the Madison County Republican Central Committee and as a central committeeman for the State; he was deputy finance chairman of the National Citizens for Eisenhower Congressional Committee in 1954 and deputy chairman of the Republican National Finance Committee from 1958 until 1959; and

WHEREAS, During a long career of civic involvement, he served on the boards of Alton Banking and Trust, Alton Memorial Hospital, and the Alton Foundation; he chaired the Civic Memorial Airport Authority, Community Chest drive, and the Madison County Cancer Crusade; he served several terms as president of the Piasa Bird Council of the Boy Scouts of America and was honored with the Silver Beaver Award for outstanding service to scouting; and

WHEREAS, A member of Franklin Masonic Lodge 25 in Alton and Ainad Shrine Temple in East St. Louis, he was awarded the DeMolay Legion of Honor; he was also a member of the Alton Nature League, the First Presbyterian Church of Tequesta, the Tequesta Country Club, and a charter member of the St. Louis Club; he was a founding member of the Economic Council of Martin County, Florida; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Rolla John Mottaz is felt by all who knew and loved him, especially his wife, Jean; his sons and their spouses, Ronald C. and Dorothy Mottaz and Steven N. and Judith Mottaz; his grandchildren and their spouses, Vicky and David Osborn, Mark (Ainette Martinez) Mottaz, Susan and Joseph Leonard, Sara and Paul Lowery, Andrew (Helen Gramates) Mottaz, and Elizabeth and S. Richard Cohen; and his great-grandchildren, Heather Osborn, Kelly Osborn, Gabrielle and Brianna Mottaz, Matthew, Bradley, Natalie, and Mackenzie Leonard, Allison, Emily, and Caroline Lowery, Christopher and Adam Cohen, and Zoe Mottaz; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Rolla John Mottaz and 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.