HR0777 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0777 LRB095 13989 GRL 39813 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate David E. Elder on the occasion of his 80th birthday on October 28, 2007; and

WHEREAS, David Edward Elder was born to David Samuel Edgar Elder and Clara Alice Robertson Elder in East St. Louis on October 28, 1927, one of six children; and

WHEREAS, David Elder grew up in the hills of southern Illinois near Cobden, 16 miles south of Carbondale; he received his elementary education in a one room country school in Union County; and

WHEREAS, David Elder worked hard as a child during the Great Depression on the family farm, learning early to handle a plow and mule; he worked in the family's 12-acre asparagus field, where he planted, plowed, picked, and processed food for shipping in the family's truck garden and learned how to hunt for food by the age of eleven; and

WHEREAS, David Elder graduated from Cobden High School in 1945 with a 4.0 grade point average in a non-weighted system; and

WHEREAS, David Elder served during the occupation of Japan when he was drafted into the Army upon turning 18; he was turned down for service before the Second World War concluded because of blindness in one eye, which was due to a farm accident; and

WHEREAS, After David Elder returned from his military service, he entered Southern Illinois University on the G.I. bill, excelling academically and receiving a B.A. in Zoology with a 3.9 plus GPA and his first M.A. in Zoology with a 4.0 GPA, studying fish and wildlife management; and

WHEREAS, David Elder was a zoology research and teaching assistant at SIU while performing graduate work from 1950 to 1952; and

WHEREAS, David Elder married Elsie Irene Wheetley on December 26, 1948; to them were born a daughter, Claudia Lynn, who died shortly after birth, followed by four wonderful children, Vicki, Dave, Patti, and Steve; and

WHEREAS, David Elder moved his family to St. David and Canton from 1952 to 1955, in order to work in land reclamation as a marine biologist for the Truax Trayer Coal Mine Company; and

WHEREAS, David Elder taught math, science, and first aid at Canton Junior High School from 1955 to 1959; and

WHEREAS, David Elder subsequently moved his family to Springfield in 1959 to work for the Illinois Education Association, where he worked for 13 years in educational research, professional development, legislation, and political education and action; and

WHEREAS, David Elder excelled academically, while receiving a M.S. Ed in Public School Administration with a 4.0 GPA from Western Illinois University and did post graduate work at Bradley University in Economic Education; and

WHEREAS, David Elder was widowed in March of 1971; he then met Tana Lorraine Horine, whom he married on July 1, 1972; together, they had another wonderful daughter, Katherine; and

WHEREAS, David Elder moved his family to a 21 acre home in rural Menard County, where they have resided for the past 33 years; and

WHEREAS, David Elder supervised and worked in the construction of a real log house, which the family moved into in 1981; and

WHEREAS, David Elder has been an avid and successful lifelong gardener, having maintained the same asparagus bed for 33 years; and

WHEREAS, David Elder has been a lifelong avid hunter and has enjoyed the sports of golf and bowling; and

WHEREAS, David Elder has enjoyed the nicknames of "Debbard Debbard" and "Mutt" and, in the southern tradition, is often referred to by family members as "David Edward"; and

WHEREAS, David Elder worked as a legislative assistant to Representative Gene L. Hoffman; and

WHEREAS, David Elder was employed by the Illinois State Senate as an educational finance consultant; and

WHEREAS, David Elder was employed as Executive Director of the Illinois School Problems Commission in 1978; and

WHEREAS, David Elder returned to the Illinois State Senate staff upon the abolishment of the Commission System; and

WHEREAS, David Elder participated in and wrote legislation for many important school laws, which have greatly benefited the children of Illinois at large; and

WHEREAS, David Elder retired from his long working life of public service in 1992; and

WHEREAS, David Elder wrote legislation in 1985 to establish The Community and Residential Services Authority; he continues to serve in an active guiding role in retirement on the authority which benefits the most disadvantaged children of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, David Elder has been a lifelong Christian and church member, having taught Sunday School and served as church moderator, deacon, choir member, greeter, and all around church volunteer; and

WHEREAS, David Elder has been an active community volunteer, contributing his time and expertise to the Cub and Boy Scout troops, Brownie and Girl Scout troops, the Enos Grade School PTA, as a founding organizer of PATT, a new parent/teacher group in Petersburg, and to teaching AARP courses on safe driving habits to senior citizens; and

WHEREAS, David Elder is well known as a all around wonderful person and is very much loved and adored by his wife, children, children-in-law, 8 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws, as well as his many friends; and

WHEREAS, David Elder is deserving of all honor that is due to him; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate David E. Elder on the occasion of his 80th birthday and wish him many more happy and healthy years to come; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to David E. Elder as a symbol of our esteem and respect.