SR0576 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0576 LRB095 20412 GRL 47980 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Lester Saxe of Benton, who passed away on March 2, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Lester Saxe was born on September 23, 1916 in rural Wayne County; he was the fourth child of eight for Glenn and Edith Potter Saxe; he married Susie Ellen Harris on February 27, 1937; and

WHEREAS, After his marriage, Lester Saxe and his wife spent a few years as tenant farmers in West Village in rural Edwards County; he left the farm to work for Country Mutual Casualty Company; and

WHEREAS, In 1944, Lester Saxe joined the United States Army; he served in the South Pacific and was on a ship heading to invade Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped, ending World War II; after returning from the war, he continued as a claims adjustor for Country Mutual, retiring in 1981 after 40 years of service; and

WHEREAS, In 1949, Lester Saxe and his wife bought a farm and moved their family to rural Thompsonville, where they resided until his wife's passing in 1993; and

WHEREAS, Lester Saxe was active in the community as a 4-H leader and Akin Grade School board member; he served as a Sunday school teacher, superintendent, and lay leader at Mount Etna Methodist Church; he was also a member of the Akin Water District and Franklin County Farm Bureau Boards and the First Church of the Nazarene in Benton; and

WHEREAS, Lester Saxe was a faithful follower of all extracurricular activities in which his children and grandchildren were involved; he enjoyed playing his harmonica whenever and wherever the urge arose; and

WHEREAS, Lester Saxe was preceded in death by his wife, Susie; his children, Charlotte and David; his sisters, Ruby Amann, Clara Lankford, and Florence Hortin; and his brothers, Drexal, Arthur, and Dante Saxe; and

WHEREAS, Lester Saxe is survived by his children and their spouses, Merilee and Lindell Anderson, Tom and Susan Saxe, Larry and Sharon Saxe, and Elaine and Norman Hayden; his 13 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren; his sister, Marie Green; his sisters-in-law, Marjorie Saxe and Mildred Saxe; and his several nieces and nephews; and

WHEREAS, Lester Saxe's family increased in size when he married Marjorie Cunningham and added her children, Charles Webster and wife, Sondra, David Webster and wife, Sharon, and Joyce Morton and her husband, John; their children brought them 6 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Lester Saxe; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Lester Saxe as an expression of our sympathy.