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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Mary Ellen Orr of Perry passed away on May 14, 
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2005; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mrs. Orr was born August 7, 1920, in Chambersburg, 
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the daughter of the late Clarence Thomas and Miriam Dennis 
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Browning; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She married Ralph J. Orr on August 7, 1938, in 
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Chambersburg; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She was a 1938 graduate of Chambersburg High 
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School in Chambersburg; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She farmed alongside her husband northwest of 
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Perry for many years; she also aided her husband in the running 
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of their farm machinery business in Perry; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mrs. Orr, along with her husband and 
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father-in-law, Ralph Orr, were former owners of land which 
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became the University of Illinois Orr Research Center; she was 
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currently serving in her 20th consecutive year as Trustee of 
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John Wood Community College, as well as serving several years 
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on the John Wood Ag Committee; she also served on the board of 
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directors of the Farmer's & Traders State Bank in Meredosia; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, She was an active elder in the Perry Presbyterian 
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Church and was an elder in the Fairmount Presbyterian Church 
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until it closed; she was commissioner to the Presbytery of 
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Great Rivers and also taught the adult class of the 
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Presbyterian Sunday School; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She was a member of the Pittsfield O.E.S., Pike 
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County Country Couples, Fairmount Home Extension, Women's Club 
 


 






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of Pike County, and the Ladies Guild of the Perry Presbyterian 
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Church; she was very active in the Perry community and was the 
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1998 Perry Pioneer Day Honored Citizen; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She traveled extensively worldwide and was an avid 
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reader; and

 
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    WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her parents, her 
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husband, her daughter, Kay Ellen Orr, and her 
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great-granddaughter, Ashley Fencik; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The passing of Mary Ellen Orr is felt by all who 
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knew and loved her, especially her daughter, Patricia Gail 
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Emerson and husband Richard; her sons, David Jeffrey Orr and 
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wife Janet, John Michael Orr and wife Kay, and Roger Alan Orr 
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and wife Kathi; her special granddaughter, Cindy Orr Moore and 
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husband Douglas; her 10 additional grandchildren; her 4 
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step-grandchildren; her 13 great-grandchildren and 5 
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step-great-grandchildren; her 3 great-great grandchildren; her 
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special friend and companion, Elmer Bradbury; her sister, Sarah 
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Harriet Brooks; her brothers, Clarence John Browning and wife 
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Shirley and David Harvey Browning; and her several nieces, 
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nephews, and cousins; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of 
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Mary Ellen Orr and extend our sincerest condolences to her 
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family, friends, and community; and be it further

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