HR0943 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0943 LRB096 21265 KXB 37149 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Richard "Dick" Solomon of Naperville, who passed away on October 29, 2009, following a courageous 15-year battle with Parkinson's Disease; and

WHEREAS, Dick Solomon was born June 2, 1933 in Bloomington; he graduated from Bloomington High School in 1951 and from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1955, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering; and

WHEREAS, On October 9, 1955 he married Jane J. Henderson in Colfax; in 1956 he entered the United States Navy and was stationed in Japan and New York working in the Research, Testing, and Developmental Laboratory; when he was discharged in 1958, Dick and Jane settled in Naperville; and

WHEREAS, He dedicated his life to fire protection service; he worked as Assistant Chief Engineer at ISO in the Municipal Department located in Chicago from 1958 to 1966; he founded Richard H. Solomon & Associates in 1967 as a fire protection engineering firm serving governmental units and was the primary project and field engineer and lead consultant to more than 65 municipalities and fire districts in Illinois and surrounding states; Richard H. Solomon & Associates regarded life safety codes and the development of communities to ensure adequate fire protection; Richard Solomon served until his retirement in 2006; and

WHEREAS, He also served as DuPage County Fire Marshal from 1977 until his retirement; and

WHEREAS, Richard Solomon held many other positions in his life; by gubernatorial appointment, Richard was a member of the Illinois Fire Protection Personnel Standards and Education Commission from 1970 to 1977, where he served as Chairman for several years; he was Vice-Chairman of the Illinois High Rise Fire Commission in the mid-1980s and worked actively to create legislation to protect occupants of high-rise housing and hotels; and

WHEREAS, He was inducted as a Life Member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and served or led several committees; he held leadership positions in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers by serving on the national and Illinois Boards of Directors, President of the Illinois chapter, and many other committees; the Chicago chapter awarded him the Joseph B. Finnegan award and the Lewis W. Freeman award for outstanding service to the field; and

WHEREAS, Richard was a lecturer and speaker at several institutions, including the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as many fire professional, municipal, and technical organizations throughout the country; he wrote many training materials, including a text that is still utilized in several degree programs across the country; and

WHEREAS, Richard was a charter member of the Naperville Congregational Church and actively involved in church committees; he was a devoted husband and father to his two daughters, Karen and Diane, and a loving grandfather to his grandsons Brian and Danny; and

WHEREAS, Richard Solomon's dedication to his jobs, civil service, the people of Illinois, and his family has inspired many who were lucky enough to cross his path; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Richard "Dick" Solomon; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Richard "Dick" Solomon as an expression of our sincere sympathy.