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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Harry H. "Hank" Sonnemaker, Jr. of
4Dunlap, who passed away on March 21, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Harry Sonnemaker, Jr. was born in Peoria on
6December 6, 1926 to Harry, Sr. and Grace (nee Reiferscheid)
7Sonnemaker; he attended the Spalding Institute and entered the
8United States Navy in November of 1944; he served on active
9duty until 1946, principally in Hawaii, the Marianas, and Guam;
10he married Dorothy Boyer on June 12, 1948 in Peoria; he was
11commissioned ensign in 1950 and served in various line and
12security-intelligence billets until 1955; when he retired, he
13was the senior most captain in the Navy Reserve in the United
14States; and
 
15    WHEREAS, After serving in the Navy during World War II,
16Harry Sonnemaker, Jr. obtained his undergraduate education
17from St. Ambrose and Bradley universities and later graduated
18from the University of Illinois with his law degree; he was
19admitted to the Illinois State Bar in 1955 and served as the
20first legal aid counselor for Peoria in 1957; he was in private
21practice for 50 years, and from 1974 to 1986, he shared his
22office with his son; he served as the attorney for the Peoria
23Police Benevolent Association for 4 years and was the past

 

 

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1President and Director of the Illinois Board of Sheriffs Merit
2Commission; he also served continuously on the Peoria County
3Sheriff's Merit Commission for more than 30 years; when the JAG
4Corps was established, he became a JAGC officer, serving for
5more than 30 years, including a 2-year term as the Judge
6Advocate General for the Navy; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Harry Sonnemaker, Jr. was a member of the American
8Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the
9Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and the Association of
10Trial Lawyers of America; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Harry Sonnemaker, Jr. was owner of the A&W Root
12Beer stands in Peoria for more than 20 years; he had a lifelong
13passion for football, hunting, dogs, and Civil War history; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Harry Sonnemaker, Jr. was preceded in death by his
15parents and his son, Michael; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Harry Sonnemaker, Jr. is survived by his wife,
17Dorothy; his 2 daughters, Lise' (Robert) Mundwiller and Melissa
18(Steve) Majdic; his brother, William (Nancy) Sonnemaker; his 3
19granddaughters, Emily Mundwiller, Abigail Mundwiller, and
20Andie Majdic; his grandson, David Sonnemaker; his 3 nephews,
21William (Susan) Sonnemaker, Ken (Tawnya) Sonnemaker, and James
22(Melissa) Sonnemaker; his niece, Julie (Rick) Ritzler; and his

 

 

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13 cousins, Sr. Mary Shryock, Joseph Shryock, and Teresa
2Connolly; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
4ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
5Harry H. "Hank" Sonnemaker, Jr., and extend our sincere
6condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
7him; and be it further
 
8    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9presented to the family of Harry Sonnemaker, Jr. as an
10expression of our deepest sympathy.