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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 
3learn of the death of Blanche Spann Cohnen of Springfield, who 
4passed away on May 18, 2011; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, She was born April 24, 1925 in Darlington, South 
6Carolina, to Rufus and Rosa (Garner) Spann; she married her 
7"soldier boy" LeRoy Martin Cohnen on December 19, 1945; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, She was a member of St. John's Evangelical 
9Lutheran Church in Springfield; she retired from the State of 
10Illinois Department of Transportation; she was a member of Beta 
11Sigma Phi Sorority where she spent almost 50 years with her 
12beloved "sorority sisters"; she looked forward to playing cards 
13with her sorority sisters and never missed the annual Sorority 
14Pizza and Pie fundraisers; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, She always mentioned how blessed she was to have 
16traveled to Hawaii and Germany with her late husband; she loved 
17to listen to music by Barry Manilow, enjoyed being outside in 
18her yard with all her plants, flowers, and her poodle, 
19"Buttons"; she was an avid scrap-booker; and
  
 
20    WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her husband; her 
21parents; and her sisters and their husbands, Louise (Bob) 
 
 
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1McCauley and Ruth (Richard) Cathcart; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Blanche Cohnen is survived by her daughters, 
3Sandra (husband, Richard) Stoye and Bonnie Garner (husband, Bob 
4Hickman); her grandchildren, Bobby Stoye, Kellee (Todd) 
5Sporrer, and Kristen (Christopher) DeBenedetto; her 
6great-grandchildren, Richard Cody, Justin Tyler Stoye, and 
7Cayden Matthew Sporrer, and expected fourth great grandchild, 
8Jack DeBenedetto;  her brother-in-law, Melvin Cohnen; and 
9several nieces, nephews, and cousins; therefore, be it
  
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL 
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with 
12her family and friends, the passing of Blanche Cohnen; and be 
13it further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
15presented to the family of Blanche Cohnen as a symbol of our 
16sincere sympathy.