HR1272 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1272 LRB096 22365 GRL 41508 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Platon Constantine Deliyannis of Deerfield; and

WHEREAS, Platon Deliyannis was a brilliant mathematics scholar, whose contributions to academia were exceeded only by his love and devotion to his wife, children, and grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Platon Deliyannis was born on August 21, 1931, in Athens, Greece; his parents were Constantine and Synodia (Korbeti) Deliyannis; and

WHEREAS, Platon Deliyannis received a degree in electrical and mechanical engineering from the prestigious National Metsovion Polytechnic University in Athens in 1954; soon after, he began his graduate studies in the United States at the University of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Platon Deliyannis' studies were interrupted when he was required to return to Greece to serve over 2 years as a naval officer in the Greek Royal Navy; and

WHEREAS, Following his military service in Greece, Platon Deliyannis resumed his studies at the University of Chicago and received a Doctorate of Mathematics from the institution in 1963; and

WHEREAS, From 1966 to 1969, Platon Deliyannis and his family moved back to Athens, Greece, where he served as the Director of the Center for Advanced Studies in Physics of the Nuclear Research Centre Demokritos to consider the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; and

WHEREAS, In 1969, Platon Deliyannis and his family moved back to the United States, settling in Deerfield, where he served as a Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology for 32 years and as Professor Emeritus for the following 9 years; and

WHEREAS, During his career, Platon Deliyannis was a widely respected scholar in the international mathematics community, especially for his research in measure theory and functional analysis, and was particularly noted for his pioneering research in quantum logics and the mathematical foundations of quantum theory; and

WHEREAS, Aside from his academic scholarship, Platon Deliyannis was a faculty member that was respected and liked by his peers and his students; and

WHEREAS, Platon Deliyannis was active in the Greek Orthodox Church; he was a member of the Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church for 29 years and the Ascension of Our Lord Greek Orthodox Church for the last 10 years; and

WHEREAS, Platon Deliyannis was a cultured and enlightened man who was a passionate fan of classical music; he played the piano and classical guitar and regularly attended the symphony and opera; he was an avid reader; he enjoyed cooking and entertaining with friends; he travelled to virtually every country in Europe, as well as China, Canada, and 39 U.S. states; he also enjoyed woodworking and building bookcases and other furniture; and

WHEREAS, Platon Deliyannis was a kind and gentle man of the highest integrity, who had a robust sense of humor, a loving demeanor, and a genuine zest for life; and

WHEREAS, Platon Deliyannis placed above all else his devotion to his beloved family, including his wife Virginia (Revidi) Deliyannis, their children, Constantine Deliyannis and Anny (Deliyannis) Gary, and their grandchildren, Alex, Harry, Simon, and Zoe, all of whom survive him and who loved him dearly; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Platon Constantine Deliyannis; and be it further

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