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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate the Heath Family on the 
4occasion of the Heath Candy Company's 100th anniversary; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, The rich history of Heath Candy started in early 
61914 when L.S. Heath was looking for a business for his 2 elder 
7sons, Bayard and Everett (Skiv); The Heath Brothers 
8Confectionery opened on January 7, 1914, where they sold 
9fountain drinks, ice cream, and homemade candies; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, Bayard and Skiv continued to expand their 
11confectionary business by introducing new items, which proved 
12to be very popular with their customers; they acquired a 
13popular "Trail-Toffee" recipe from a Greek candy-maker in 
14Champaign, and Bayard decided to develop it further; in 1928, 
15after many months of trial and error, the brothers declared 
16their formula for "English Toffee" to be "America's Finest", 
17and dubbed it Heath English Toffee; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The confectionary was sold in 1931 and the 
19brothers moved into the dairy industry with their father, but 
20they continued creating candy in a small kitchen they built; 
21the brothers had new delivery order forms printed to include an 
22additional selection-"Heath English Toffee Bars"; when this 
 
 
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1item was checked, the milk route driver left a box of the 
2delicious candy along with the dairy needs; this simple 
3marketing plan worked and the Heath English Toffee Bars grew in 
4popularity as the market base grew; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, In 1946, the company was incorporated, officially 
6becoming L.S. Heath & Sons, Inc.; included in the original 
7corporation were L.S. Heath and his 4 sons, along with his 2 
8daughters, Ruby Heath Dowling and Mary Heath Morris, as well as 
9the grandchildren living at that time; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, The Heath family said farewell on January 24, 1989 
11when L.S. Heath & Sons became a subsidiary of Leaf, Inc.; Leaf 
12sold their North American operations in January of 1997 to 
13Hershey Chocolate, U.S.A.; under the leadership of Hershey, the 
14Robinson plant manufacturers a variety of candies including, of 
15course, the original Heath English Toffee Bar; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, The Heath Candy Company was, and still is, a vital 
17part of the Robinson community; L.S. and his sons will forever 
18serve as models of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the 
19people in Robinson and the State of Illinois; therefore, be it
  
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
21NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
22we congratulate the Heath Family on the occasion of the Heath 
 
 
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1Candy Company's 100th anniversary; and be it further
  
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
3presented to Jack Morris, the last living Heath family member 
4who was a full-time employee of the company serving as Chief 
5Executive Officer  and Chairman of the Heath Candy Company from 
61983-1989, as a symbol of our esteem and respect.