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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of John
4Leroy Moon of Macomb, who passed away on October 29, 2019 at
5the age of 103; and
 
6    WHEREAS, John Moon was born in Macomb to Frank and Sarah
7(Breckenmaker) Moon on April 3, 1916; he graduated from Macomb
8High School in 1934 and received his Bachelor of Science in
9Chemistry from Western Illinois University in 1939; he married
10N. Beatrice "Bee" Nichols in London Mills on August 31, 1940;
11and
 
12    WHEREAS, John Moon enlisted in the United States Marine
13Corps on December 29, 1943, shortly after the bombing of Pearl
14Harbor; upon completion of his training and boot camp at Camp
15Pendleton, California, he was deployed to Iwo Jima as part of
16the 5th Marine Division; on February 19, 1945, he landed on the
17beaches at Iwo Jima as part of the invasion and fought until he
18was wounded; he was awarded a Purple Heart for his bravery and
19was discharged on September 25, 1945; and
 
20    WHEREAS, John Moon enjoyed many careers in Macomb,
21including running two restaurants, the S&J Cafe and Andies
22Candies Restaurant, both located on the town square; he also

 

 

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1worked as a carpenter and a school bus driver and sold life
2insurance; his last career was teaching driver education at
3Macomb High School for approximately ten years; even at the age
4of 103, he still had students thanking him for teaching them
5how to drive; and
 
6    WHEREAS, John Moon was active in his community; he belonged
7to a number of organizations, including the Optimist Club, the
8Masons, the Rotary, the VFW, the American Legion, and the
9Kiwanis; he served as an alderman on the Macomb City Council
10and was a lifelong member of the Wesley United Methodist
11Church, where he sang in the choir and was known for many years
12as the driver of the "church car", taking the elderly to
13services every Sunday; he also enjoyed bowling on the senior
14league at College City Bowl; and
 
15    WHEREAS, At the age of 101, John Moon was accompanied by
16his son, David, and his daughter, Jeanine, on the Greater
17Peoria Honor Flight; he was recognized as the oldest veteran to
18have flown; at the time of his passing, he was believed to be
19the oldest surviving Marine from the Battle of Iwo Jima; and
 
20    WHEREAS, John Moon was preceded in death by his wife, Bee;
21his parents; his son, Paul Moon; his grandson, Brian Moon; his
22brothers, Lewis, Norris, Francis, and Howard Moon; and his
23sisters, Margaret Eyman, Garnet Burnham, Mildred Corzine, Ruth

 

 

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1Lowenstein, and Dorothy Trotter; and
 
2    WHEREAS, John Moon is survived by his children, David Moon
3and Jeanine (Michael) Sullivan; his daughter-in-law, Karen
4Moon; his grandchildren, Lori (Bruce) Mulkey, Michael (Paula)
5Moon, Heather (Ruben) Flores, Sarah Sullivan, and Brady
6Sullivan; his great-grandchildren, Justin (Krista) Mulkey,
7Travis Mulkey, Jennifer Moon, Ava Moon, and Chloe Moon; and his
8great-great-grandchildren, Waylon Mulkey, Raegan Moon, and
9Aiden Moon; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
11HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
12we mourn the passing of John Leroy Moon and extend our sincere
13condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
14him; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to the family of John Moon as an expression of our
17deepest sympathy.