SR0813 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0813 LRB098 16829 MST 51900 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Santo L. Ruggero of McHenry, M.D., who passed away on January 7, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ruggero was born on January 24, 1923 in Chicago to Lucio and Maria (nee Cutaia) Ruggero; he served his country in the United States Army during World War II; he attended Loyola University Chicago from 1940 to 1943, the University of Chicago in 1943, and the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago from 1943 to 1946; he married Mary A. Kiss at St. Sylvester Catholic Church in Chicago on January 4, 1947; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ruggero interned at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in 1946 and 1947; he was certified by the American Board of Family Practice (now the American Board of Family Medicine) in 1970 and again in 1976, 1982, and from 1988 to 1995; he began his family practice in Chicago from 1948 to 1950 and then moved it to Wonder Lake, where he served the community until 1991; he was an active staff member at Memorial Hospital for McHenry County from 1950 until 1991, where he was chief of staff for 7 years, and continued as an honorary staff member until recently; he was also an Associate Medical Director and Medical Consultant for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, a board member of the Crescent County Foundation for Medical Care, and a member of the American Medical Association, the Illinois State Medical Society, the American Academy of Family Physicians from 1954 until recently, and the McHenry County Medical Society, where he served as President several times; he was the co-founder and a member the McHenry County Board of Health from 1966 until recently and in 1986 he was named "Member of the Year" for the Illinois State Board of Health; he co-founded the McHenry County Pioneer Center for Disabled Children in 1959, the McHenry County Mental Health Association in 1960, the McHenry County Head Start program in the 1950's, and the Special Education District of McHenry County in 1969; he pioneered prenatal classes at Memorial Hospital in 1963 and was a member of the District 36 Board of Education from 1959 to 1988, serving as President from 1962 to 1988; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ruggero's community involvement extended outside the medical field; he was a member of the Loyola University Alumni Association, the Cook County Alumni Association, and the Kiwanis Club, where he was named "Man of the Year" in 1965; he was the recipient of the Loyola University of Chicago Founder's Day Alumnus Award in 1993; he was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Wonder Lake Chamber of Commerce and a life-member of the Parent-Teachers Association, the American Legion, and the Moose Lodge; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ruggero was an active lector at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Wonder Lake, leading by example by going on international missions to help others; he and his wife traveled with AmDocs on medical missions to Haiti in 1965 and 1967; he served with the Amigos de los Americanos Mission to Honduras in 1969 and the Franciscan Conventual Order Mission to Mexico in 1993; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ruggero had a passion for trees and was a tree farmer from 1972 until recently; he was a life-member of the American Foresty Association starting in 1980 and planted over 200,000 trees; and

WHEREAS, Santo Ruggero was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mary; and his sister, Elaine Allen; and

WHEREAS, Santo Ruggero is survived by his children, Louise (Steven) Krater, Nancy (Al Tracy) Ruggero, James (Valerie) Ruggero, Robert (Terese Lohmeier) Ruggero, Thomas (Linda Brady) Ruggero, Cynthia (Jan Stahl) Ruggero, William Ruggero, Therese (Bruce Vierheller) Ruggero, Margaret Ruggero, and Lydia (BJ Neff) Ruggero; his 16 grandchildren; his 9 great-grandchildren; and his sister, Carmella (Jack) McIntire; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Santo L. Ruggero, M.D., and 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 Dr. Ruggero as an expression of our deepest sympathy.