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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to  
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learn of the death of
John Kuntz of Loda, who passed away on 
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February 8, 2009; and

 
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    WHEREAS, John Kuntz was born on November 16, 1938 in 
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Paxton; he was the only child of Marvin and Vernette 
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Fredrickson Kuntz; he married Marjorie Weakley on December 22, 
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1957 at Onarga Methodist Church; and

 
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    WHEREAS, John Kuntz attended schools in Paxton and 
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graduated from Onarga High School in 1956; he attended Illinois 
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State University at Normal, earning his bachelor's degree in 
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business education in 1968; he then earned his master's degree 
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in education from National College of Education in Evanston in 
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1983; and

 
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    WHEREAS, John Kuntz began teaching and coaching at Danforth 
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Grade School in 1958; after two years at Danforth, he was hired 
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at the Onarga Unit 1 school district, where he taught and 
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coached for 18 years; he also served as athletic director at 
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Onarga for the school's sports programs for a number of years, 
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which involved hosting yearly conference, county, and regional 
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basketball tournaments at the school; his 1962 junior high 
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basketball team advanced to the Illinois State Tournament, 
 


 






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where they were defeated by the three-time State champion 
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Lincoln Junior High team; in 1963, the team lost by one point 
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to Urbana Junior High in the finals of the sectional tourney; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, John Kuntz, along with Gilman Junior High 
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Principal and AD Charles Pritchett, started the "Twin County 
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Conference", a conference composed of schools from Ford and 
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Iroquois Counties; the conference is still going strong after 
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40 years, a testament to the leadership of its founders; and

 
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    WHEREAS, After 10 years at the junior high level, John 
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Kuntz began coaching high school athletics; during this time, 
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he served on the Illinois Football Advisory Committee; and

 
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    WHEREAS, After 20 years in education, John Kuntz was 
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elected and sworn in as the Iroquois County Clerk/Recorder on 
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December 1, 1978; once again showing his leadership skills, he 
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was the only person in the history of Iroquois County to have 
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been elected to the office of county clerk for five terms; 
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during those 20 years, Mr. Kuntz held every office of the 
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Illinois County Clerks Association, including president of the 
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State association; he also served on the first Illinois State 
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Board of Education's Advisory Committee beginning in 1980, 
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remaining a member of that committee until his retirement on 
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November 30, 1998; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, John Kuntz was a member of the Onarga Education 
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Association, where he served as president; he was a member of 
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the Illinois Education Association State Board of Directors and 
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a lifetime member of the National Education Association; he was 
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a member of the Illinois Association of County Officials; he 
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was a lifetime member of the International Association of 
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Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers, where he 
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served on various committees; he was a member and served as 
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president of the Ford-Iroquois County Retired Teachers 
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Association for several years until his retirement in 2008; he 
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was a member of Lions Clubs in Watseka and Onarga and the Loda 
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Lions Club; he was a member of the Onarga United Methodist 
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Church, where he had served as Sunday school superintendent and 
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on the board of trustees; he was a member of the Grand Prairie 
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Seminary Board and the Onarga Academy Advisory Board; he was a 
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past member of the Watseka Elks Club and a member of the 
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Lakeview Country Club at Loda; and

 
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    WHEREAS, John Kuntz was elected to serve for several terms 
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on the Onarga Village Board during the 1960s and 1970s; he also 
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served as a substitute city letter carrier in the early 1960s; 
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and
 
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    WHEREAS, In 2002, John Kuntz ran for the office of county 
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board member of the fifth district; once elected, he served as 
 


 






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chairman of the judicial, public safety, and tax committee; he 
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served as vice-chairman of the East Central Illinois Community 
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Action Board and was the organizer of Juvenile Justice, a 
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successful school program; and

 
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    WHEREAS, John Kuntz was a loyal and dedicated fan of the U 
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of I athletic teams, Chicago Bears, and Cincinnati Reds for 
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over 60 years; and

 
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    WHEREAS, John Kuntz was preceded in death by his parents; 
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his son, Timothy Paul; his brother, Perry Schneider; his 
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step-mother, Bernice Kindig Kuntz; his step-father, William 
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Schneider; his sister-in-law, Lillian Weakley Powers; and his 
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brother-in-law, Tom Weakley; and

 
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    WHEREAS, John Kuntz is survived by his wife, Marjorie; his 
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sons, John David (Taina) and Jeffrey Mark (Kara); his daughter, 
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Mindy Sue (Mick) Hagan; his sister, Deborah (Michael) 
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Gallagher; his sister-in-law, Linda Schneider; his 
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brothers-in-law, Jerry (Terri) Weakley and Bill (Diana) 
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Weakley; his grandchildren, Shannon (Ryan) Hill, Jeremy 
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(Kristin) Kuntz, Kourtney Kuntz, Anna Marjorie Hagan, and Karn 
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"Lui" Lertpisarnchai; his step-grandsons, Jake Hagan and 
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Gregory Deno; his  step-granddaughter, Kyndl Deno; his 
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great-grandsons, Timothy and Nathan Hill; his 
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great-granddaughter, Makenna Kuntz; and his many nieces, 
 


 






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nephews, and other relatives; therefore, be it

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

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