SR0978 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0978 LRB097 23413 MST 72294 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Stanley B. Balbach, Sr. of Savoy, who passed away on November 12, 2012; and

WHEREAS, Stanley Balbach, Sr. was born on December 26, 1919, in Normal to Nyle Jacob and Gertrude (Cory) Balbach; he married Sarah T. Witherspoon on May 22, 1944, in Jonesboro, Arkansas; and

WHEREAS, Stanley Balbach, Sr. attended schools in Kankakee, Urbana, Champaign, Evanston, and Chicago; he graduated from Chenoa High School in 1936, the University of Illinois in 1940, where he was a member of Army ROTC and the Alpha Kappa Lambda Fraternity, and from the University of Illinois School of Law in 1942; and

WHEREAS, Stanley Balbach, Sr. was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army, serving in the Horse Cavalry, Tank Destroyer, and Army Air Corps, and ultimately becoming a captain, teaching flying during World War II; following the war, he moved to Hoopeston, where he practiced law for two years; he then moved to Urbana, where he practiced law for almost 32 years; and

WHEREAS, Stanley Balbach, Sr. served in many legal organizations throughout his lifetime, including being involved in bar association work at the local, state, and national levels; he served as an Illinois delegate and chairman to the American Bar Association (ABA) Junior Bar Conference; he also served with the American Judicature Society, the Real Estate Practice Committee of the Senior Lawyers Division of the ABA, and the Standing Committee on Lawyers Title Guaranty Funds of the ABA; he served with the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) as vice-chair of the Section on Commercial and Bankruptcy Law and as secretary of the Committee on Bar Economics as well as being a member of the Elder Law Section Council; and

WHEREAS, Stanley Balbach, Sr. has given back to his community in promoting local real estate developments, aiding the aging community, and encouraging improvements in local air, rail, and bus transportation through over 30 years of service as co-chair of the Transportation Committee of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce; for his work in the area of transportation, he was issued his own honorary bus stop; and

WHEREAS, Stanley Balbach, Sr. has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Board of Governor's Award from the ISBA in 1994, the annual Tradition of Excellence Award from the ISBA General Practice, Solo, and Small Firm Section in 2000, the Community Service Award of the Urbana Exchange Club in 2000, and the Arthur H. Larson Leadership Award of the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging in 1999; he was an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, a member of the Urbana Rotary Club, the Urbana American Legion Post 71, the Urbana Masonic Lodge No. 157, a 2006 Pillar of the of the Champaign County Bar, ISBA Senior Counsellor in 1992, and ISBA Academy of Illinois Lawyers Laureate in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Stanley Balbach, Sr. was preceded in death by his son, Jacob; and

WHEREAS, Stanley Balbach, Sr. is survived by his wife, Sarah; his son, Byron (Jeanne) Balbach; his daughters, Nancy (Tom) Fehr, Barbara (Jack) Balbach-Haines, and Edith Balbach; his 6 grandchildren; his 2 step-grandchildren; his 7 great-grandchildren; his seven step-great-grandchildren; and a step-great-great-grandchild; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Stanley Balbach, Sr., and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Stanley Balbach, Sr. as an expression of our deepest sympathy.