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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Clifton G. Bergeron of Urbana, who passed
4away on April 14, 2016; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron was born in Los Angeles,
6California to Lewis G. and Rose Dengel Bergeron on January 5,
71925; he served from 1943 to 1946 as a Corporal in the United
8States Army 14th Armored Division in England, France, and
9Germany during World War II; he was awarded the
10European-African Campaign Medal with two Bronze Battle Stars;
11he married Laura Kaario in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 9,
121950; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron graduated from the University of
14Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1950 with a degree in ceramic
15engineering and was employed in the research and development
16laboratories of the A.O. Smith Corp. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
17in 1955, he joined the Whirlpool Corp. of St. Joseph, Michigan
18as a staff engineer; he returned to the University of Illinois
19in 1957 and was employed as a research associate in the
20Department of Ceramic Engineering; he earned his Master of
21Science in 1959 and his Ph.D. in Ceramic Engineering in 1961;
22he was appointed an assistant professor in 1961, full professor
23in 1967, and head of the Department of Ceramic Engineering in

 

 

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11978; he retired in 1988, but remained active as a consultant
2to the industry; and
 
3    WHEREAS, In recognition of Clifton Bergeron's many
4contributions to his profession, he was named a fellow of the
5American Ceramic Society in 1967; he received the University of
6Illinois College of Engineering Everitt Award for Teaching
7Excellence in 1975, the American Ceramic Society Outstanding
8Educator Award in 1988, and the ACS Greaves-Walker Award for
9Professional Achievement in 2005; he was especially pleased
10when a group of his former students established an endowed
11scholarship in his name in 2004; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron enjoyed fishing, woodworking,
13and nature photography; he was a member of the Nature
14Conservancy, the Izaak Walton League, the Wilderness Society,
15the Sierra Club, and the Prairie Rivers Network; he served as a
16volunteer reader for the sight-impaired at the Illinois Radio
17Reader for a number of years; he was also an avid home wine
18maker; he and his family enjoyed camping and fishing vacations
19with his parents throughout northern Illinois and southern
20Wisconsin; and
 
21    WHEREAS, In 1968, Clifton Bergeron and his wife bought land
22on a small lake near the Salt Fork River and spent a great deal
23of time at a cabin, enjoying many happy weekends relaxing,

 

 

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1fishing, and forming enduring friendships with neighboring
2cabin owners; in later years, they enjoyed visiting Meadowbrook
3Park, where a small grove of trees and a bench memorialize
4Laura's love for the park; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron moved to Clark-Lindsey Village
6in 2006, where he was an active participant in daily life,
7serving on numerous committees, and contributing articles and
8nature photographs to The Village Voice magazine published by
9CLV residents; he eventually rose to the position of Co-Chair
10of the magazine, and then Chair, serving in those capacities
11for several years; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron took photographs of the many
13animals, insects, and plants in nearby Meadowbrook Park, which
14were enjoyed by his fellow residents; he was given a bulletin
15board at CLV, "Clif's Nature Corner", where he posted
16photographs with informative and entertaining captions and
17quizzes on a regular basis, bringing the natural world indoors
18to share, particularly with those who had difficulty visiting
19the park themselves; he collaborated on projects in the
20workshop with his fellow residents, including building a new
21scoreboard for use in the outdoor shuffleboard games in the
22summer; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron was preceded in death by his

 

 

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1wife, Laura; his parents; and his sister, Shirley Marsh; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Clifton Bergeron is survived by his daughter, Ann
3Bergeron (Kevin Fahey); his son, Louis Bergeron; his niece,
4Carrie (Mike) Benvenuti; and his nephew, Mike (Pam) Marsh;
5therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
8Clifton G. Bergeron, and extend our sincere condolences to his
9family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
10further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the family of Clifton Bergeron as an expression of
13our deepest sympathy.