HR1374 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1374 LRB099 22449 GRL 49869 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Lawrence "Larry" Matkaitis of Mt. Greenwood, who passed away on July 9, 2016; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Matkaitis was a neighborhood guy; he was born in Mt. Greenwood on May 25, 1948, and there he married and raised his family; he often joked that the longest he was ever away from Mt. Greenwood was when he was in the service; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Matkaitis attended grammar school at St. Christina Catholic Church; after graduation, he attended Brother Rice High School; one of his proudest accomplishments in his teen years was becoming a licensed pilot; he attended Northern Illinois University until he entered the United States Army, where he served as a medic during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Matkaitis was very proud of his service to our country; he earned his paramedic license and worked as an emergency room technician before joining the Chicago Fire Department in its recently developed paramedic program, where he was stationed at Ambulance 42 at Engine 13's house at Lake and Dearborn; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Matkaitis proudly served as the first Director of Emergency Medical Services for Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local #2; in the Chicago Fire Department, he rose to the rank of Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner, Emergency Medical Operations, and Executive Assistant to the Fire Commissioner before retiring after 30 years of service; and

WHEREAS, In October of 2010, Lawrence Matkaitis began his second career in Chicago for the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal; after five years with the Office, he was appointed by Governor Pat Quinn to be the State Fire Marshal; he served as an advocate for fire fighters, paramedics, and the citizens of Illinois; he retired in 2015; and

WHEREAS, Lawrence Matkaitis was a proud member of several professional organizations, including the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Fire Chiefs of Illinois, the Illinois Terrorism Task Force, the Advisory Committee of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, and the Executive Committee of the Illinois Emergency Medical Response Team; and

WHEREAS, During his career, Lawrence Matkaitis worked with and was recognized by many professional organizations, including the United States Department of Homeland Security, the National Guard, the United States Secret Service, the Illinois Fire College, the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, and the Office of Emergency Management in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his professional responsibilities, Lawrence Matkaitis was the beloved husband of 38 years of Valerie; the devoted father of Amber (Louis) Rivera and Daniel Matkaitis; the "Big Lar" to Aliyah, Liliana, and Anais; the cherished brother of Jerry (Ruth) Matkaitis, Jimmy Matkaitis, Nancy (Jim) Sorensen, and Kathy (Kurt) Uhlir; the respected uncle of many; he is also survived by many dear family members and friends; 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 Lawrence Matkaitis 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 Lawrence Matkaitis as a symbol of our sympathy for his passing and our deep appreciation for his service to the State of Illinois.