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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of George B. Johnson of Elk Grove Village,
4who passed away on November 29, 2020 at the age of 91; and
 
5    WHEREAS, George Johnson moved with his first wife Barbara
6and their family to Elk Grove in January of 1958, becoming one
7of the town's early residents; he was a proud veteran of the
8U.S. Navy who served as a corpsman during the Korean Conflict;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, George Johnson initially operated his business,
11Johnson Insurance Agency, from his one-car garage on Briarwood
12Lane; he eventually upgraded to a two car garage on Northampton
13Circle two decades later; today, the insurance agency stands at
14500 E. Higgins Road as the oldest continuously operating
15business in Elk Grove Village; and
 
16    WHEREAS, In the late 1960s and early 1970s, George Johnson
17volunteered as the Elk Grove Village insurance commissioner and
18regularly reported to the scenes of fires to help safeguard
19fire department equipment; he also served on the local
20Industrial/Commercial Revitalization Commission during the
211990s and into the 2010s and helped to oversee $100 million in
22upgrades to Elk Grove's massive business park; his legacy of

 

 

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1public service is what inspired his son, longtime Elk Grove
2Mayor Craig Johnson, to run for office; and
 
3    WHEREAS, George Johnson was a founding member of the Elk
4Grove Jaycees and served as its first treasurer; he and his
5wife were among the founding members of the Church of the Good
6Shepherd, one of the earliest churches in the Elk Grove
7community; he later served as Cub Master for the Rupley School
8Cub Scouts and was an active member of the Industrial Park
9Lions Club; and
 
10    WHEREAS, George Johnson was a dedicated volunteer, a
11passionate business owner, and a strong family man; he was
12generous with his time and talents; and
 
13    WHEREAS, George Johnson was preceded in death by his
14parents, Lottie Inger Nelson Johnson and George B. Johnson; and
15his first wife, Barbara; and
 
16    WHEREAS, George Johnson is survived by his wife of 31
17years, Karen Drinan Johnson; his children, Donald Johnson,
18Craig (Lorrie) Johnson, and Jennifer (Kenneth) Thon; his
19stepchildren, Kathy (Gregg) Trapani, John (Mary) Mede, and
20Chris (Linda) Mede; and his numerous grandchildren and
21great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
2ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
3George B. Johnson and extend our sincere condolences to his
4family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of George Johnson as an expression of
8our deepest sympathy.