SR1334 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1334 LRB099 16080 MST 40404 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Dorothy Worst of Lockport, who passed away on December 16, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Worst was born in Waterloo, Iowa in 1916 to Carl and Theresa (nee Plaiser) Webbeking; as a child, she briefly moved to Bremen, Germany; she arrived back in the United States on March 30, 1927 at Ellis Island, New York; she graduated from Drake University with an R.N. in 1936; and

WHEREAS, Between 1941 and 1946, Dorothy Worst served in the U.S. Army as a nurse; she served as a surgical nurse stateside for 20 months at Ft. Leonard Wood, Lincoln Air Base, and Camp Kilmer; in February of 1943, she served as an operating room nurse in the 11th Evacuation Hospital, a mobile medical unit, moving throughout North Africa, Italy, Sicily, Southern France, and Germany; she was decorated with the American Defense Ribbon, the American Theatre Ribbon, the EAME Theatre Ribbon, 1 Silver Battle Star, 2 Bronze Battle Stars, the Bronze Service Arrowhead, 5 Overseas Service Bars, and the Victory Medal; her battles and campaigns included: Tunisian; Sicilian; Naples-Foggia; Rome-Arno; Southern France; Rhineland; and Central Europe; she was at the Battle of the Bulge, the D-Day Invasion, and Anzio; during her service, she met King Zaad of Albania, a Spitfire pilot for the British Air Force; Pope Pius XII; Josephine Baker; had a dinner date with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.; flew a cargo plane; earned the nickname "Moonbeam"; and, shot a 50-caliber machine gun on a Swedish ship; she left the service as a Lieutenant 1st Class on February 21, 1946; she often was called upon by schools and groups to talk about her time in the service and later served as a VFW Post Adjutant in Lockport; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Worst returned from her service and earned a master's degree in English and an R.N. from Minnesota University; she married William "Bill" Worst in 1948; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Worst became a home healthcare nurse until 1949; starting in 1956, and through 1981, she worked at Silver Cross Hospital as an R.N., I.C.U. Director, and Coronary Clinic Specialist; she taught in the S.C.H. School of Nursing and served as a Fire and Disaster Safety Coordinator, EKG Instructor, CPR Instructor, and House Supervisor; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Worst volunteered in the Hospital Medical Library; she was an Encore Shop President and volunteer and was on the Advisory Board at S.C.H.; she was a long time member of the King's Daughters, the founding organization of Silver Cross Hospital; she also served as President of the American Heart Association of Illinois; she was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Lockport and she was featured in Lockport's History Scavenger Hunt this past summer and was the Lockport Memorial Day Parade's Grand Marshal; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Worst was a great cook; she loved to garden and was a Garden Club member in Lockport; she crocheted and was known for knitting "scrubbies"; she sewed clothes for the kids and others; she took up painting and her art is distributed among her children and friends; she was an avid newspaper, book, and magazine reader; she was very political and could debate on all current events; she loved to tell war stories from her years in WWII; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Worst was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents; her brothers, Vernon, Karl, Ewald, and Otto; and her sister, Elfrieda; and

WHEREAS, Dorothy Worst is survived by her brother, Albert (Elaine); her children, Sally (Chris) Birkbeck, Cindy (Skip) Lanham, Sandy (Gilbert) Mitchell, and Marc Worst; her 4 grandchildren, Heather, Jesse, Michelle, and Sarah; and many great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

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