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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois 
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learned with sadness of the death of Robert E. "Bob" Nelson of 
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Marion on Friday, July 8, 2005; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He was born in De Kalb County, Indiana, on March 
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15, 1914, to Erwin and Orpha (Moore) Nelson; he earned a 
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bachelor's degree in general forestry from Michigan State 
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University in 1936 and spent his entire career as a forester in 
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the states of Michigan, Arkansas, and Illinois; he retired in 
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1976 as an associate extension forester with the rank of 
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assistant professor from the University of Illinois with 
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headquarters at Dixon Springs Agricultural Center; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mr. Nelson valiantly served his country as a 
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member of the United States Army from 1941 until the time of 
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his honorable discharge in 1946; at the time of his discharge 
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he held the rank of captain in the Signal Corps; he was 
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decorated with a Bronze Star Medal and a 
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European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal; he was involved 
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in battles and campaigns in Normandy, Northern France, the 
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Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Following his discharge from the military, he was 
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united in marriage to Jeanne Light on March 14, 1946, in 
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Forrest City, Arkansas; together they shared more than 36 years 
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of marriage until her death on April 6, 1982; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He was a charter member of Shawnee Resource 
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Conservation and Development Area from the time of its 
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organization by the USDA in 1968; he served as the 
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organization's volunteer treasurer from 1995 until 2005 and was 
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chair of the Forestry Committee from 1977 until 1995; he has 
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held a membership in the Society of American Foresters for over 
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50 years; he also served on the Williamson County Soil and 
 


 






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LRB094 13095 HSS 47945 r




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Water Board and the University of Illinois Extension; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The passing of Robert E. "Bob" Nelson has been 
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deeply felt by many, especially his sister and brother-in-law, 
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Virginia and Stan Applegate; his nieces and nephews, Paula 
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Jones, Debbie Dobrovodsky, Diane Rae, Douglas Bultemeyer, and 
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Gary and Nancy Applegate; his many great-nieces; his 
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great-nephew; and his many longtime friends; he was preceded in 
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death by his parents, his wife, and his sister, Carma 
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Bultemeyer; 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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Robert E. "Bob" Nelson, and we extend our sincere condolences 
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to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be 
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it further

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