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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 pro-life
4activist Joseph Scheidler, who passed away on January 18,
52021; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Joseph Scheidler was born to Matthias and
7Kathleen (Pursley) Scheidler in Hartford City, Indiana in
81927; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Joseph Scheidler served in the U.S. Navy as a
10military policeman at the end of World War II and earned a
11bachelor's degree in communications at the University of Notre
12Dame and a master's degree at Marquette University; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Joseph Scheidler first worked as a teacher at
14Mundelein College, a women's school in Illinois, where he met
15his wife, Ann Crowley; and
 
16    WHEREAS, During his time at Mundelein College, Joseph
17Scheidler chaperoned a group of students on a pilgrimage to
18march with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. from Selma, Alabama
19to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Following the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, Joseph

 

 

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1Scheidler decided to leave his professional career to dedicate
2his life to protecting the rights of the unborn and was known
3by many as the godfather of the Pro-Life movement; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Joseph Scheidler founded the Pro-Life Action
5League, a nonprofit organization, in 1980; its purpose was to
6recruit and equip pro-life Americans to be a voice for unborn
7children in their own communities throughout the country and
8around the world; and
 
9    WHEREAS, A victory before the U.S. Supreme Court in a
10landmark case entitled NOW v. Scheidler, involving the
11exercise and defense of First Amendment rights of freedom of
12speech and freedom of assembly, has helped to maintain the
13availability of these rights for Illinoisans and all
14Americans; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Joseph Scheidler is seen as a true inspiration
16and teacher to many current pro-life activists; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Joseph Scheidler is survived by his loving wife
18of 55 years, Ann; seven children; 26 grandchildren; and one
19great-granddaughter; therefore, be it
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
21HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that

 

 

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1we mourn the passing of Joseph Scheidler and extend our
2sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all knew and
3loved him; and be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
5presented to the family of Joseph Scheidler as an expression
6of our deepest sympathy.