HR1323 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1323 LRB095 21490 GRL 51081 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our friend and former colleague, Larry McKeon of Springfield, formerly of Chicago, who passed away on May 13, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Larry McKeon was born on June 30, 1944 in Nampa, Idaho; he received his bachelor's degree in political science and his master's degree in public administration from California State University in Los Angeles; he also worked toward his Ph.D. in social service administration at the University of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Larry McKeon served our country as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Infantry; he also served as a lieutenant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and as a college professor and administrator before moving to Illinois; prior to becoming a state legislator, McKeon served as the director of information systems and services for Metropolitan Family Services and was Mayor Richard M. Daley's liaison to the LGBT community as the director of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations' Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian Issues; he also taught public administration at Roosevelt University; and

WHEREAS, Larry McKeon is survived by his brothers, Gerald and Dennis McKeon; he was preceded in death by his longtime partner, Ray Korzinski, who passed away in 1990; and

WHEREAS, Larry McKeon was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1996 and served until his retirement in 2007; he represented the North Side of Chicago's 34th and later 13th districts; he was the State's first openly gay and HIV-positive legislator; he battled AIDS and cancer with stoicism, grace, and a strong resolve not to let those diseases impede his efforts on behalf of the causes in which he believed, nor interfere with his desire to live a full and productive life; he considered his biggest achievement as a legislator his work to add the words "sexual orientation" to the State's Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination against people for jobs, housing, public accommodations, and credit; this milestone, which was achieved in 2005, was the culmination of 30 years of effort and struggle by thousands of individuals; and

WHEREAS, Larry McKeon thought of himself not as a gay legislator, but as a legislator who happened to be gay, and was a passionate and committed advocate on behalf of the powerless, the vulnerable, and those who too often had no voice in the legislative process; he worked diligently to expand health care coverage for the uninsured, improve services for immigrants, bolster outreach and assistance programs for the homeless, increase workplace safety protections and strengthen workers' rights, and expand Uptown's Truman College; and

WHEREAS, As an Illinois State Representative, Larry McKeon served on numerous House Committees, including the Labor Committee as chairman, the Housing and Urban Development Committee as vice chairman, and the Aging, Executive, and Developmental Disabilities and Mental Illness Committees; he also served on the Subcommittee on Agreed Labor Bills as sub-chairman, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, the Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes, and the Legislative Ethics Commission; and

WHEREAS, After his retirement, Larry McKeon served as a volunteer lobbyist for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and could be seen in the State House several times a week; he also was the proud owner of a 2002 Winnebago Adventurer motor home that he took on excursions across the United States, along with his two rescued greyhounds, Hillary and Squiggy; and

WHEREAS, Larry McKeon was greatly admired by his colleagues and friends for his intellect, sense of humor, easy-going nature, kindness to others, and courage as a human rights leader; he was a compassionate soul who was modest about his important place in Illinois history and who truly strove to make the world a better place; he will be greatly missed but never forgotten; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family, friends, and the people who knew and respected him across the State of Illinois, the passing of our friend and colleague Larry McKeon; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family and friends of former State Representative Larry McKeon as a symbol of our very sincere sorrow and sympathy for their loss.