HR0523

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to honor milestones in the lives of 
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citizens of the State of Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rita T. Picken, longtime Hyde Park resident, will 
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turn 90 on July 6, 2009; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rita was born in Wausau, Wisconsin; she earned a 
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Bachelor of Arts degree,  Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of 
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Wisconsin in 1942 and a Master of Science degree from the 
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University of California, Los Angeles in 1968; and

 
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    WHEREAS, While teaching English for the two-year 
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University of Wisconsin Center in Kenosha, Rita and her late 
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husband, Dean Barnard Tallent, helped to establish the 
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four-year University of Wisconsin Parkside campus in Kenosha; 
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and
 
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    WHEREAS, Rita was elected Kenosha's Woman of the Year in 
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1969; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1976, Rita married Robert F. Picken and moved 
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to Chicago, where her commitment to community activism 
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flourished; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Rita was particularly active with St. Thomas the 
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Apostle Parish; she was a member of the flower committee, 
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arranging flowers for masses and special events; she regularly 
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worked the candy booth at the Parish's Christmas Bazaar; she 
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also  organized ethnic lunches at the church, promoting the 
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exchange of cultures among the diverse parishioners; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rita served on the board of her family-owned 
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company, Peerless Confection Company, for almost 25 years; she 
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was known for being an active participant in the lives of the 
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employees and every year sent Christmas cards to each and every 
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one of the workers; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rita was active with the Hyde Park Neighborhood 
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Club; she served on the board in the 1980s and was instrumental 
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in implementing programs such as the Good Neighbors Awards and 
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its service auctions, which raised money when volunteers 
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offered their services in exchange for donations to the Club; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rita also volunteered her time with the University 
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of Chicago Service League, serving as the President from 1983 
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to 1984; she was also active in the Service League's drama 
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group and its Chicago Commons program; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Rita has volunteered her time at the Oriental 
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Institute for over 30 years and has been a member of the 
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Visiting Committee since 1985; with the help of her daughter, 
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Kitty, she helped fund the Robert F. Picken Family Nubia 
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Gallery; she was also the creator of the Institute's Pyramid 
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Parties; on May 6 of this year Rita was named the 2009 Breasted 
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Medallion recipient at the Oriental Institute's 90th Jubilee 
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celebration; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rita has always been a political activist; she was 
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an active member of the League of Women Voters in Wisconsin 
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and, after moving to Chicago, became active with the 
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Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct 
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Organization; she was often seen even on the worst of Chicago's 
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winter days passing out campaign literature, which led some 
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constituents to assume she was the mother of whichever 
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candidate it happened to be, as only a mother would be out in 
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weather like that; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Rita loves to garden, travel, attend the theater, 
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read, and spoil her pet dog, Maggie; 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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congratulate Rita T. Picken on her ninetieth birthday and wish 
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her many more; and be it further

 
 


 






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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Rita T. Picken as a symbol of our affection, 
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gratitude, and respect.