HR1635

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are saddened to  learn of the death of
Gene H. 
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Graves of Springfield, who passed away on November 23, 2008; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Gene Graves was born on December 10, 1928 outside 
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of Marion in Crittenden County, Kentucky; his parents were 
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Eugene H. Graves and Mayme Graves; he married Norma J. Jackson 
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on October 6, 1951 in East St. Louis; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Gene Graves served in the United States Air Force 
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and was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant in 
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1949 at the age of 20; afterwards, he joined the Air Force 
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Reserve and was discharged at the rank of Second Lieutenant on 
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August 13, 1954; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Gene Graves earned his Bachelor of Science degree 
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from Southern Illinois University and served as president of 
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the Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Gene Graves began his career as a schoolteacher in 
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Elkton, where he taught until 1957; from 1957 to 1959, he was 
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employed with the Ford Motor Company in labor relations; he 
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then took a job with Southern Illinois University in the 
 


 






HR1635
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LRB095 23113 KXB 53743 r




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community affairs department, concurrently serving as 
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president of the Madison/St. Clair County Urban League; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Gene Graves began his career in State government 
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in 1962, when he was appointed by Illinois Governor Otto Kerner 
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as executive director of the Board of Economic Development; in 
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1965, the Governor created the cabinet position of director of 
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the Department of Business Development, to which Mr. Graves was 
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named as the first director; under his directorship, which 
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involved many world trade tours and international agreements, 
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he and his wife met with numerous dignitaries and world 
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leaders, resulting in the State of Illinois becoming the number 
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one export state in the nation; under his administration, 
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Illinois also went from the number 12 to the third-ranked state 
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in the nation at attracting new industry; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Gene Graves was instrumental in the State of 
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Illinois being named by the Atomic Energy Commission as the 
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recipient of the atom smasher built in Weston; from 1969 to 
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1974, Gene worked as the special assistant to the president at 
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Southern Illinois University; afterwards, he took a job as 
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president of the Flamex Corporation in St. Petersburg, Florida; 
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he returned with his family to Springfield in 1975 and became 
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director of physical services of the Secretary of State's 
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office; he then worked for a short time as a realtor before his 
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retirement; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Gene Graves was well known amongst his peers for 
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his great appreciation for a good joke and a bad pun and his 
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penchant for telling both; he always looked forward to the 
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weekly "meeting of the minds" on Mondays at the Two Brothers 
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Lounge in Springfield; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Gene Graves was preceded in death by his parents 
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and his brother, William Graves; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Gene Graves is survived by his wife, Norma; his 
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sons, James Mitchell Graves (wife, Kim), Bradley Scott Graves 
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(wife, Judy), and Kenneth Byron Graves (wife, Barb); his 
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daughter, Leslie Janine Graves; his brother, Robert (wife, 
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Julie) Graves; his sister, Martina (husband, Loren) Wolfe; and 
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his nine grandchildren; 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 his family and friends, the passing of Gene 
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H. Graves; 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 Gene Graves as an expression of our 
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sympathy.