HR0583 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0583 LRB097 14123 KXB 58813 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of LeRoy A. Ufkes, who passed away on October 18, 2011; and

WHEREAS, He was born September 8, 1923 in Bear Creek Township, Hancock County, the son of Fred J. and Tena M. Johnson Ufkes; on December 28, 1956, he married Joan Aleshire at St. Paul Catholic Church in Macomb; and

WHEREAS, He attended Basco High School for 3 years, and later graduated from Carthage High School in 1940; he received his bachelors degree from Carthage College in Carthage; he attended Texas Tech College in Lubbock, Texas and Louisiana State University, majoring in engineering; he received his Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of Iowa Law School in Iowa City, Iowa in 1950; and

WHEREAS, He was a lieutenant in the United States Army and served in Italy in World War II; he served on numerous State Commissions, including the Commission for the Status of Women, the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, and the Illinois Court of Claims; he was Special Assistant Attorney General for over 10 years with the State of Illinois; he served an interim term in the Illinois State Legislature; he was a member of the Hancock County Bar Association, and he was an Illinois delegate for numerous Republican Conventions; and

WHEREAS, He was the director of the Board of Farmers State Bank of Ferris, the Union Bank of Carthage, and Memorial Hospital and Nursing Home; throughout his professional career he was a member of numerous other boards and commissions related to the practice of law; and

WHEREAS, He was a longtime attorney for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints and a lifetime advocate for justice and fairness for the poor; he was also involved with the local Humane Society and enjoyed time with his best friend and cat Little Miss Amy; and

WHEREAS, He was a member of the Western Illinois University Western Athletic and Leatherneck Clubs and was an inductee into the Western Illinois University Athletic Hall of Fame; he was one of the charter athletic full scholarship donors of the Western Athletic Club through the Western Illinois University Foundation; he was a season ticket holder for St. Louis Rams football and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes; and he was a lifetime Cincinnati Reds fan; and

WHEREAS, LeRoy Ufkes is survived by his wife, Joan; his daughter, Dr. Fran Ufkes-Daniels and son-in-law, Dr. Lacy Daniels; and his sister, Ruth I. Ufkes; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of LeRoy Ufkes; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of LeRoy Ufkes as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.