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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
Edward W. Kowal, formerly of Glen Ellyn 
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and Wheaton, who passed away on January 26, 2010; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Edward Kowal was born on October 13, 1924; he was 
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born and raised in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood and 
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graduated from Crane Technical High School; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1942, Edward Kowal passed up a basketball 
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scholarship at Purdue University to join the United States 
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Marine Corps; during World War II, he served in the Pacific 
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theatre as a radio operator, navigator, and rear gunner in 
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airstrikes over the Marshall Islands; he was later awarded the 
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Air Medal for his meritorious service; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, After his military discharge in 1946, Edward Kowal 
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was employed with a Chicago law firm while attending Wright 
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College; in 1951, he graduated from John Marshall Law School; 
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and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, After graduating from college, Edward Kowal began 
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in private practice, working for a small law firm in Chicago; 
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in 1964, he moved to Wheaton and joined the office of the 
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DuPage County state's attorney, eventually becoming the first 
 


 






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assistant state's attorney; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1974, Edward Kowal was appointed to serve as an 
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associate judge; he served in every division of the DuPage 
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courts as an associate judge; in 1984, he was appointed to 
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serve as a full circuit judge; he was elected to the post in 
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1986 and was retained in 1992; as associate judge, he presided 
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over 3 trials and numerous courtroom hearings involving one of 
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the most infamous Chicago-area crimes of the last 30 years, the 
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1983 abduction, rape, and murder of 10-year-old Jeanine 
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Nicarico; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1993, Edward Kowal was elected as a chief 
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circuit court judge; he retired in 1995, having served 21 years 
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on the bench; as chief judge, he appointed a special prosecutor 
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to scrutinize elements of the investigation into the killing of 
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Jeanine Nicarico; and
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1986, Edward Kowal was named the DuPage County 
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Bar Association's "Man of the Year"; and
  
 
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    WHEREAS, Edward Kowal was preceded in death by his first 
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wife, Mary; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Edward Kowal is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; 
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his sons, Conrad Kowal, Gary Kowal, and David Grimes; his 
 


 






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daughters, Kathleen D'Amico and Elizabeth Grimes; and his 8 
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grandchildren; 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 Edward W. Kowal; and be 
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it further
  
 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Edward Kowal as an expression of our 
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sympathy.