HR0020

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives  wish to extend their condolences to the family 
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and friends of Phyllis Sutker of Skokie, who passed away on 
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November 13, 2006; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Phyllis Sutker was born in Chicago; she graduated 
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from Austin High School and Wright Junior College before 
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receiving her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in social work 
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from the University of Chicago; she was a member of Phi Beta 
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Kappa; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mrs. Sutker met her husband Calvin during their 
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senior year of high school, and they were married in 1946; they 
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moved to Skokie in 1958; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In the 1950s, Mrs. Sutker joined NA'AMAT, which 
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supports women's and children's issues in Israel;  she went on 
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to become its national president between 1981 and 1985; at the 
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time of her passing she was a member of the NA'AMAT USA 
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advisory board and of its Chicago Council; she represented the 
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group in the Labor Zionist Movement and on committees and 
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boards of the major Jewish organizations in Chicago;

and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mrs. Sutker was deeply involved in the Zionist 
 


 






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movement; she was a national vice president of the American 
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Zionist Movement and served on its Chicago region board; she 
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also served as an elected member of the executive of the World 
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Zionist Organization in the 1980s and 1990s and was elected as 
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one of its honorary fellows in 1997; she was on the Board of 
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Governors of the Jewish Agency between 1983 and 1992; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Mrs. Sutker was an elected member of the Executive 
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(American Section) of the World Zionist Executive and the Board 
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of Governors of the Jewish Agency; she was a delegate to six 
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World Zionist Congresses; and she was a national vice president 
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of the American Zionist Movement and on the board of the 
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American Zionist Movement, Chicago region;

and

 
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    WHEREAS, As national president of NA'AMAT USA, Phyllis 
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Sutker met and worked with many Israeli officials; she was a 
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friend of Leah Rabin, wife of former Prime Minister Yitzhak 
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Rabin, and worked closely with former Prime Minister Shimon 
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Peres; Uzi Narkiss, the Israeli general who liberated Jerusalem 
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in the 1967 war, was a personal friend who came to Chicago to 
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give the keynote address when Phyllis was honored by the Labor 
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Zionist Alliance of Chicago (now called Ameinu) in 1997;

and
 
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    WHEREAS, In 2005, Phyllis was honored by the Greater 
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Chicago Council of NA'AMAT on the occasion of the 
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organization's 80th anniversary; she and her husband, Calvin R. 
 


 






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Sutker, were honored by the American Zionist Movement in 2002; 
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in 1996, Phyllis was elected a lifetime Honorary Fellow of the 
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World Zionist Organization; she was honored by Israel Bonds of 
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Chicago as a "Woman of Achievement" in 1988; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Phyllis Sutker was preceded in death by her son, 
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Edward, and her brother, David; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Phyllis Sutker was the beloved wife of former 
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State Representative Calvin R. Sutker; the devoted mother of 
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Sharon Sutker McGowan (Jim McGowan), Shelley Sutker-Dermer 
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(Kenneth Dermer), Edie Sue Sutker (fiance, David Richmond), and 
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Allen (Karen) Sutker; the loving grandmother of Jennifer and 
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Joshua McGowan, Elana and Jake Dermer, and Danielle, Nicole, 
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Tommy, and Teddy Sutker; the beloved sister-in-law of Marsha 
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Kline, Irwin (Carla) Sutker, and Ada (Beryl) Rabinowitz; the  
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step-sister of Lloyd (Grace) Kline; and is fondly remembered by 
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many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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mourn, along with her family and friends, the death of Phyllis 
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Sutker; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Phyllis Sutker, as an expression of 
 


 






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our sincere sympathy.