HR0449

LRB096 13041 KXB 27279 r






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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 Louis 
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Frederick Welch of Urbana, who passed away on March 13, 2009; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, He was born at Linden, Tennessee, on March 29, 
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1931, to Louis and Hilda Houston Welch; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He graduated from the University of Tennessee, 
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Auburn University, and Iowa State University; he was a member 
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of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, Gamma Sigma Delta, Alpha Zeta, 
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Phi Kappa Phi, and Sigma Xi; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He was elected a fellow in the Soil Science 
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Society of America and in the American Society of Agronomy; he 
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worked at the Georgia Experiment Station, the United States 
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Department of Agriculture, and the agronomy department at the 
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University of Illinois; his research dealt with soil fertility 
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and fertilizers; he retired from the U of I in 1990; since 
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retirement, Marilyn and Fred have enjoyed travel, collecting 
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seashells, and fossilized shark teeth; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Fred Welch truly "had never met a stranger" and 
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"never had a bad day"; and
 
 


 






HR0449
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LRB096 13041 KXB 27279 r




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    WHEREAS, After getting involved in politics by 
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volunteering to put up yard signs, he became a tireless 
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advocate for the Republican party establishing the Champaign 
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County Active Senior Republicans, an organization which served 
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as a model for the State Republican party as well; and
 
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    WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; and his 
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sister, Patsy Peach; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He is survived by his beloved wife, Marilyn, whom 
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he married in 1956 at Cherokee, Alabama; his three sons, 
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Charles Welch, Tom Welch, and Steven Welch; his five 
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granddaughters and three grandsons; his sister, Mae Phy; and 
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his brother, Ted; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Louis 
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Frederick Welch; 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 Louis Frederick Welch as a symbol of 
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our sincere sympathy.