SR0145 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of James H. Reed of Arlington Heights, who passed away on February 19, 2013; and

WHEREAS, James Reed was born on December 28, 1921, in Chicago; his parents were Calvin M. and Rachel B. Reed; he was the beloved husband of the late Dolores M. Reed for 61 years; and

WHEREAS, James Reed was a proud member of the United States Marine Corps during World War II; he joined 3 days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and served with distinction as an assault radioman throughout the South Pacific as a member of the 3rd Battalion, 22nd Regiment; he earned the rank of corporal and participated in 3 assault landings in the Marshall Islands; and

WHEREAS, James Reed will be remembered for his considerable educational and career achievements; after attaining the rank of Eagle Scout in high school, he earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics with a minor in physics and engineering from Eastern Illinois University and his master's degree in personnel with a minor in statistics from the University of Wisconsin; and

WHEREAS, Throughout his life, James Reed held positions as corporate manager, senior systems analyst, and industrial engineer for such companies as the Ford Motor Company, Whirlpool, and Fingerhut; he also served as a guest lecturer at Purdue University; and

WHEREAS, James Reed enjoyed square dancing and calling, stamp collecting, being a "winter Texan", traveling in his RV, and watching the Chicago Bears; as a square dancer, he was on the board of the Metropolitan Chicago Association of Square Dancers as a director and as 2nd vice president and convention chairman; he and his wife traveled extensively throughout the United States as square dance ambassadors and most notably traveled to Russia as part of a cultural exchange, where they represented square dancing as the official American folk dance of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, James Reed is survived by his daughters, Carol L. Bolka, Catherine A. Reed, and Nancy E. Reed, and his granddaughters, Rachel E. Bolka and Laura B. Gardzelewski-Batterton; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of James H. Reed; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of James Reed as an expression of our sympathy.