HR1203 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1203 LRB099 21610 MST 48038 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Margie Jo Harmon of Herrin, who passed away on April 20, 2016; and

WHEREAS, Margie Harmon was born in Greenville, Texas to Robert Horace and Nina Jo (Turner) Moore on April 10, 1926; she graduated from Central High School in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 1943 and enrolled at Oklahoma State University; she married Bill Harmon in a civil ceremony in Perry, Oklahoma on June 16, 1949, and again at St. Andrew Episcopal Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma on August 13, 1949; and

WHEREAS, Margie Harmon and her family moved to Herrin in August of 1968; she landed her first teaching job at Lincoln School in Herrin; she taught third grade in Herrin schools for 29 years; she was instrumental in the establishment of an accelerated reader program in Herrin elementary schools; she continued to work with the reading program after retiring from teaching in 1998; she received an outstanding service award from the Illinois Educational Association for her work with the Herrin IEA affiliate and for serving on the teacher union's board of directors; and

WHEREAS, Margie Harmon was elected to the Herrin Community Unit 4 School Board in 1989 for the first of three terms; she was an advocate for teacher's rights and needs and for fairness for all sides in contract negotiations; and

WHEREAS, Margie Harmon and her husband were the owners of a successful flower and gift shop and garden center business, Nancy's Flowers and Gifts (now Les Marie Florist) for 15 years; and

WHEREAS, Margie Harmon was an avid reader and a member of The Page Turners club; she was a charter member of the Friends of Herrin City Library, serving on the group's board of directors; and

WHEREAS, Margie Harmon was the Chairperson of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel's Sister Parish Project in Mulajje, Uganda, raising more than $112,500 to provide lunch at school for approximately 450 children each day; and

WHEREAS, Margie Harmon is survived by her husband, Bill; her children, Catherine Louise Fleck, Ruth Ellen Harmon, Margaret Ann (Dr. James) Petersen, Melinda Gail (Bill Cronin) Harmon, Mary Elizabeth Lockhart, and Matthew Preston Harmon; her grandchildren, Simon (Sharon) Stotler, Emily (Dave Cipriani) Fleck, Isabelle Petersen, Anna Lockhart, Joseph Petersen, August Petersen, and William Kellogg; and her great-grandsons, Marcus and Jacob Stotler, and Julian Cipriani; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Margie Jo Harmon, and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

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