SR1300 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1300 LRB099 15516 MST 39806 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Timothy "Tim" Nugent of Savoy, who passed away on November 11, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Tim Nugent served in the 99th and 1st Infantry Divisions of the United States Army in Europe in World War II; he fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Bronze Star; he earned a Bachelor of Science equivalency degree from Tarleton State University in Texas in 1943, while serving in the Army, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin in LaCrosse in 1947, and a Master's of Science from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1948; he was also awarded 3 honorary degrees for his work, a Doctor of Humanics from Springfield College in Massachusetts in 1978, a Doctor of Laws from Mount Mary College in Wisconsin in 1981, and a Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Illinois in 2015; the U of I also honored him with the Chancellor's Medallion in 2007; in 2011, he received The Order of Lincoln, the State's highest award; and

WHEREAS, Tim Nugent founded the Rehabilitation Education Center at the University of Illinois, now known as the Division of Disability Resources and Education Services, the first comprehensive program of higher education in the nation for those with severe permanent disabilities; he served as its director from 1948 until his retirement in 1985; and

WHEREAS, Tim Nugent founded the National Wheelchair Basketball Association in 1949 and served as its commissioner for 25 years; he was instrumental in the development of wheelchair sports competitions in the United States and other countries, including the Paralympics; in 1948, he founded the rehabilitation service fraternity, Delta Sigma Omicron; he also developed the first public transportation to accommodate the able-bodied and those with disabilities, including wheelchairs, with equal safety and efficiency; among his many public services, he was the initial director of research and development for the American National Standards Institute for the committee developing standards on the accessibility and usability of facilities by the physically disabled, and he served as Secretary of the Steering Committee and national Chairman; he also served 4 terms as President of the National Paraplegia Foundation and served as its director; he authored many articles and publications and lectured and consulted throughout the U.S. and in 8 foreign countries, speaking at more than 54 universities and 14 medical colleges, including the Royal College of Surgeons, the Royal Institute of British Architects, and the Ministry of Education's Central Council for Rehabilitation of the Disabled in England; he also received the Dr. Patrick Haglund Lectureship Award from Sweden's Central Committee for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled; he also lectured before the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy, the First International Seminar on Physical Education in Nagoya, Japan, and the first Rehabilitation Conference in Beijing, China; and

WHEREAS, Tim Nugent received numerous awards and honors in his career, including the U.S. President's Public Personnel Award from President Dwight Eisenhower in 1957 and the U.S. President's Citation from the President's Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped that same year; he also received the Distinguished Service Award Presidential Citation from President Bill Clinton in 1993, the University of Illinois Wakefield Award in 1973, the Henry Betts Award in 1999, and numerous other awards; and

WHEREAS, Tim Nugent was an avid U of I sports fan and attended football and basketball games whenever possible; he was also a longtime member of the Champaign-Urbana Optimists Club; and

WHEREAS, Tim Nugent was preceded in death by his sister, Marge (Jim) McKain, and his nephew, Rick Munch; and

WHEREAS, Tim Nugent is survived by his wife of 45 years, Jeanette (nee Sato); his sons, Brian (Mary) Nugent and Tracy (Claudia) Nugent; his sister, Patricia (Jay) Steuerwald; his brother, James Nugent; his grandchildren, Jaime (Cory) Meyer, Jacob (Marissa) Nugent, and Reni and Lorin Nugent; his great-grandchildren, Killian, Tiernan, and Regan Meyer and Emma and Vera Nugent; and his nieces and nephews, Chuck (Joann) Munch, Linda (Troy) Van Vleck, Judy Turner, and Joy Steuerwald (Barry Prioste); therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Timothy "Tim" Nugent, 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 Tim Nugent as an expression of our deepest sympathy.