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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Joseph "Mayor Joe" W. Strzelczyk, who
4passed away on May 17, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe was born on May 21, 1939 to Chester and
6Loretta (nee Szrabajki) Strzelczyk; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe served honorably in the United States
8Army during the Vietnam War from 1962 to 1963; he served 5
9years in the U.S. Army Reserve until 1968; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe launched his own businesses in 1976 as a
11self-employed "trader" at the Chicago Board of Options
12Exchange, where he also owned a prestigious Trading Seat; and
 
13    WHEREAS, In the 1980s, Mayor Joe shared his passion for
14softball through writing columns, hosting a cable television
15program and radio show, and coaching the North American Pro
16Softball league in 1980; he was inducted into the Softball Hall
17of Fame in 2012; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe had a passion for helping people, which
19led him to spend much of his life working with young people as
20a baseball coach and eventually entering a career in public

 

 

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1service; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe entered into public service in 1978,
3working as a Special Recreation Instructor for the Chicago Park
4District; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe started his tenure as Summit Village
6Trustee in 1990; he was elected Mayor in 1997 and re-elected to
7that position in 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2013; and
 
8    WHEREAS, During Mayor Joe's tenure, he secured more than
9$2.5 million in Community Development Block Grant funding,
10which he used to improve streets and strengthen Summit's
11infrastructure; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Under Mayor Joe's direction, Summit was able to
13build a 78-unit, $14 million Senior Housing Development; in
142013, Summit was also included in the revenue sharing agreement
15with the Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, which brought in more
16than $604,000 to the Village; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Thanks to Mayor Joe's leadership, new businesses
18moved to Summit, the village's debt was reduced, and crime made
19a steady decline; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe was proud of Summit's diversity and

 

 

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1strived to ensure the Village remained well-balanced and all
2voices were heard; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe dedicated his entire life to the people
4of Summit and served the Village with sincere kindness,
5honesty, integrity and an enduring commitment to improve Summit
6and the lives of its residents; his legacy will go unmatched;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe was preceded in death by his parents,
9and a brother Chester (Trudy) Strzelczyk; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Mayor Joe is survived by his 3 nephews, Chet
11(Stacy), John (Kim), and Ken (Flo) Strzelczyk; his 5
12great-nieces and nephews, Bret, Matthew, Kyra, Johnny, and
13Justin; his 2 godchildren, C.J. and Emma; his aunt, Gloria
14Strzelczyk; and his cousins Bernie (Margaret) Migas, Diane
15(Steve) Kusenda, Kathy (John) Rayson, and many more; therefore,
16be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
18ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
19Joseph "Mayor Joe" W. Strzelczyk, and we extend our sincere
20condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
21him; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2presented to the family of Mayor Joe as an expression of our
3deepest sympathy.